A 37-year-old woman is dead after being struck by a car while walking along the side of a road in Surrey, B.C. Thursday night.

Mounties say the woman was heading east on the gravel shoulder of 80th Avenue when a car veered off the road, hitting her before slamming into a telephone pole.

The victim was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her name has not been released.

Cpl. Drew Grainger told ctvbc.ca the road is straight and flat, and investigators are looking into whether anything was distracting the driver's attention.

"It's too early to comment on the exact cause, but our investigators will be looking at all the possibilities, including mechanical failure," Grainger said.

Grainger said there is no indication the driver was on a cell phone, despite some media reports, but said not all of the witnesses have been interviewed.

The driver, a 47-year-old woman, was treated for minor injuries.

Police say alcohol was not a factor, but that speed has not been ruled out. It's too soon to say whether charges will be laid, Grainger added.

Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the Surrey RCMP Traffic Section.