The recent spate of hit-and-run crashes leaving motorcyclists injured and dead has continued with an incident early this morning in Sydney.
A male rider and his female pillion, both in their 30s, suffered leg injuries after a collision with a vehicle about 1.20am (8 April 2019) at the intersection of Forest Road and Jersey Avenue, Penshurst.
Police are investigating after the vehicle failed to stop.
UPDATE: a 22-year-old woman will appear in court today charged with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm (x2), negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and render assistance after impact and not keeping left of a dividing line. Click here for more details.
The rider and pillion were treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to St George Hospital in a stable condition with leg injuries.
Officers from St George Police Area Command attended and are trying to locate the driver.
Police urge anyone who may have witnessed or have dashcam footage of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers online or phone 1800 333 000. Information is treated in strict confidence. Do not report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
We wish the rider and his pillion a speedy recovery.
Spate of hit/runs
A recent hit-run crash in MelbourneThis incident follows a worrying spate of four hit-and-run crashes in Victoria in the past month with no arrests yet.
The trend is causing concern that motorists are viewing riders not as vulnerable road users, but as “temporary Australians” with a death wish.
It could be a direct result of the recent bad press about the high rate of motorcycle fatalities.
There could also be an element of the perceived ability for drivers to drive away after a collision with a motorcycle.
Drivers may believe a rider would be unable to give chase if they are knocked off their bike.
They could also believe just knocking over a bike would not do much damage, so it is not worth stopping.
In NSW, the requirement for those involved in a crash to remain at the scene until police arrive was dropped in 2014, even if a tow truck is required.
However, the motorists must report the incident to police.
If they don’t, police can charge a motorist with failing to stop at the scene of an accident which is considered a serious offence.
Depending on whether someone is injured or killed in the crash, the motorist responsible could face serious charges with up to 10 years in jail.
Police say motorists leaving an accident scene where someone is injured decrease a victim’s chance of survival.