Cyclist 'contributed' to crash that killed him, RCMP say

A cyclist killed when he was struck by a speeding taxi on Ottawa's Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway in December "contributed to the collision" by disobeying a red light, wearing earbuds and failing to wear reflective clothing, RCMP said Friday.

RCMP made the comment in a statement announcing a speeding charge against the Capital Taxi driver who struck Junfeng Wu, 40, at the intersection of Onigam Street at about 6:45 a.m. on Dec. 7.

The driver is accused of speeding at 94 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, RCMP said.

"The taxi had a green light, but the cyclist also contributed to the collision by disobeying the red light, and not wearing reflective clothing, as well as wearing ear buds in his ears," RCMP's National Division said.

Under Ontario's Highway Traffic, cyclists don't have to wear reflective clothing, and there's no mention of earbuds or headphones.

However, many cycling safety groups recommend against riding with earbuds, and recommend reflective clothing to make cyclists more visible to motorists.

The sun typically rises at about 7:28 a.m. in Ottawa on Dec. 7, according to the National Research Council.

The driver is expected in court on June 19.