Cyclist Laura Ghirardi, 67, killed by truck in Milan; driver reported for vehicular homicide
Laura Ghirardi, 67, died after a truck struck her bicycle at a Milan intersection on 7 July. The 33-year-old driver, who tested negative for alcohol, has been reported for vehicular homicide.
The incident
On 7 July 2026, shortly before 1 p.m., 67-year-old Laura Ghirardi was cycling near Milan's Fiera district when a heavy truck hit her at the intersection of via Gattamelata and via Colleoni. The truck, coming from via Colleoni, was turning right onto via Gattamelata. Emergency services arrived within minutes and transported Ghirardi to Niguarda hospital in critical condition, but she died shortly after arrival. Her bicycle remained trapped under the truck after the impact.
Investigation and driver
The truck driver, a 33-year-old Italian man, stopped immediately and tested negative for alcohol. Police are examining whether Ghirardi was crossing on the pedestrian stripes or riding alongside the truck in its blind spot. The truck was equipped with blind-spot sensors as required by law. The driver has been reported at large for vehicular homicide (omicidio stradale). Authorities are reviewing surveillance camera footage from the area to clarify the exact dynamics.
Milan's cyclist safety record
Milan has the highest rate of cyclist accidents among Italian cities. According to the first Italian Atlas of cyclist deaths and serious injuries, compiled by the Politecnico di Milano's Competence Centre on Anti-Fragile Territories (Craft) using Istat data from 2014 to 2023, Milan recorded 10,372 incidents, a quarter of all such accidents in Lombardy. The highest risk indices are in Municipi 9 and 8. Rome and Padua follow with 3,457 and 3,132 cases respectively. Most accidents occur at intersections and traffic-light junctions.
- Milan
- 10372 accidents
- Rome
- 3457 accidents
- Padua
- 3132 accidents
Urban mobility tensions
The intersection where Ghirardi died is near the Citylife district and has been affected by the "Piazze Aperte" project, which partially closed via Gattamelata to traffic and created a pedestrian area in front of a school. The incident reignites debate over road safety for cyclists in a city where bike use is promoted but infrastructure remains contested. The Highway Code requires cyclists to dismount and walk their bikes across pedestrian crossings, a rule often ignored in practice.
