A 49-year-old male rider has died after hitting a power pole in a Brisbane bayside suburb about 7.45pm yesterday (18 April 2020).
The rider was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash in Nathan Street, Brighton.
His 36-year-old female pillion was transported to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Forensic Crash investigators are appealing for any witnesses or anyone who may have dash cam vision to contact police.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
Quote this reference number: QP2000785065 within the online suspicious activity form.
Our sincere condolences to the rider’s family and friends and our best wishes to his pillion for a full and speedy recovery.
Power poles and roadside hazards
This follows a death in Townsville last week where a rider hit roadside tree.
Roadside hazards such as trees, barriers and power poles are a particular danger for riders.
A 2017 United Nations report recommends roadside hazards be removed as they are a proven cause of serious motorcycle crash injuries and deaths.
The 108-page World Health Organisation “Powered two- and three-wheeler safety” report says a motorcycle crash with a fixed roadside hazard is 15 times more likely to be fatal than a crash on the ground with no physical contact with a fixed hazard.
They also increase the severity of injuries in such crashes, it says.
Another Australian and New Zealand study presented at the 2015 Australasian Road Safety Conference concluded that almost all roadside objects are hazardous to PTW users.
Click here to find out why we publish motorcycle crash reports.