Teen cyclist died while riding with her Mum
AN accomplished teenage cyclist who “lived life to the full” died after a horror crash while out riding with her mum.
Caitlin Swan, 14, lost her life in the tragic accident on December 28, 2019. Her mother Victoria has told an inquest that she “didn’t have a chance”.
Caitlin, from Truro, was an experienced bike rider, who regularly enjoyed long rides and even took part in national events such as the Dartmoor Classic.
Penair School pupil Caitlin was kitted out in full high-vis kit but fatally lost control on Tubbon Hill on the outskirts of Stithians after spotting a VW Transporter van turning into a tight junction before being struck by an oncoming courier van.
As well as a keen cyclist, Caitlin was a hockey player for Truro ladies and loved scuba diving and had set up a small business with her twin sister to save up for a school trip to New York.
Giving evidence at Caitlin’s inquest, her mother Victoria described how the pair decided the evening before that they’d go for a ride and got everything ready, including checking the brakes, oil and tyre pressures.
They set off on a route that took them from Truro to Calenick, Kea, Playing Place and the King Harry Ferry before heading back via Devoran, Perranwell Station and Frogpool. At one point Caitlin beat her mum up a hill and joked she’d enjoyed too many mince pies over Christmas.
Ms Swan said: “It was a route we’d done three or four times and all on the back roads. We always used to cycle with Bike Chain Ricci on Sunday mornings and Caitlin would come along.”
Ms Swan went on to describe how, as they approached the crash scene on Tubbon Hill, Caitlin reverted to her drops (lower parts of her handlebars) and Ms Swan estimated they were travelling at speeds around 25mph in a 60mph zone.
Ms Swan recalled spotting a white van turning left 200 to 250 yards ahead. She added: “I saw Caitlin’s body language changing. I could see her slowing down and gently pushing back in her saddle, something that was instilled in her when she was cycling with the group on Sunday mornings.
“As the van was turning left I’m sure it looked kind of stationary. Caitlin got her wobble on and would have locked up.”
Caitlin’s mother went on to heartbreakingly describe how she saw her daughter lose control and veer into the other side of the road and into the path of the oncoming courier van.
Coroner Stephen Covell said that the turning where the accident took place was “acute”, and Caitlin’s mother, being a police officer, may have seen the hazard ahead before Caitlin. He said: “Caitlin didn’t expect the van to be turning so slowly and she started to wobble and lost control.”
Mr Covell recorded a conclusion of road traffic collision before expressing his deepest sympathy to Caitlin’s family. He added that he intends to make a report to the highways authority to try to advise that signage is put in place to warn cyclists and road users of the dangers of the junction.