Reflecting on a series of motorcycle crashes in the Waikato over recent days, the District's most senior road policing officer says it's hard for her staff not to come away with a sense of frustration when each crash appears to have been avoidable.
In describing the latest crash as an example of the consequences of people doing virtually everything wrong Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Freda Grace, said a young man now faces a long period of recovery from potentially life changing injuries.
"Emergency services were called to the scene of a crash on Huntly's Rosser St last night after what is believed to be 50cc a mini dirt-bike crashed about 7.20pm.
"The crash is being investigated by the Serious Crash Unit and initial indications on what happened are that the 18-year-old rider of the unregistered motorcycle and his 21-year-old passenger were travelling south towards Connolly Pl and were trying to overtake another vehicle when it hit a pot hole."
Mrs Grace said the rider lost control of the motorcycle which then mounted the kerb and crashed into a nearby fence.
"The passenger came off the bike and landed between the fence and a concrete retaining wall suffering critical facial injuries while the rider suffered moderate gravel rash injuries. Both were taken to Waikato Hospital by ambulance and the passenger's injuries are believed to be survivable.
"We're currently awaiting the results of blood tests to establish what, if any part, alcohol played in the crash but irrespective of that given the rider had no licence and the motorcycle was unregistered- the pair should not have been on the road in the first place."
Mrs Grace said with last night's crash coming on the back of two serious injury motorcycle crashes in the Coromandel on Saturday, Police were wondering when motorcyclists were going to take some ownership of the problem.
"The first crash happened about 1pm and involved two motorcycles colliding head-on on a speed restricted corner on SH25, the Waihi-Whangamata Rd about 2km west of Whiritoa.
"The two riders were taken to Thames Hospital by ambulance with minor to serious injuries and when emergency services finished clearing the scene there, another rider was reported to have been injured in a collision between his motorcycle and a tree on SH25A near the summit of the Kopu-Hikuai Rd."
Mrs Grace said in the first of Saturday's crashes it appears the rider of an unregistered eastbound motorcycle had taken the 35km/h sign-posted corner too fast and crossed the centreline into the path of an oncoming westbound motorcycle.
"We're taking too many risks, already this year six motorcyclists have died on Waikato roads while another four have suffered life altering injuries before these latest incidents.
"While the estimated cost of a life lost in a vehicle crash is $3.85 million per fatality, Police want all road users to reflect on the human cost, the tragic loss of life and the impact on families of having a loved one seriously injured and having to deal with long term recovery- its all too much."
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