Carolyn Girod a 31 year-old bicyclist from Cambridge, Mass. was hit by a van last week near Raymond, Washington.  Ms. Girod was bicycling with her boyfriend Nils Sorenson on State Route 105 just north of Raymond when a van drifted onto the shoulder where they were riding.  Nils was forced into Carolyn and they both crashed. 

Nils crashed into an embankment next to the road, but Carolyn crashed on the pavement of the roadway.  Carolyn suffered massive internal injuries and head injuries.  She passed away the day after her Washington bicycle crash.

The accident was apparently caused by a distracted driver who drifted off the road onto the shoulder and failed to see the two bicycle riders there.  Carolyn and Nils were riding on the shoulder doing what they could to avoid a car accident.  Unfortunately, even that was not enough this time.

The injuries suffered when a car hit a bicyclist or motorcyclist for that matter are more often than not very severe and in the worst cases fatal.  Our prayers and condolences go out the Carolyn Girod's family.