A second NSW rider has died today (3 August 2019) in what police describe as a single-vehicle accident and later been found by passing motorists.
NSW Police say a 25-year-old man has died in a “single-vehicle motorcycle crash” in the state’s southern highlands overnight.
“About 4.50am, a motorist travelling along Golden Vale Road, Sutton Forest, contacted emergency services when they drove upon a motorcycle crashed on the side of the road,” police say.
Officers from The Hume Police District, along with NSW Ambulance paramedics, attended and found the rider, a 25-year-old man, deceased at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified.
Reports on both incidents will be prepared for the Coroner.
Anyone with information about either of these incidents is urged to contact Crime Stoppers online or phone 1800 333 000. Information is treated in confidence. Do not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Police reports
Police media releases and statements that claim these as single-vehicle accidents before any investigation is concluded raise the spectre that the riders were at fault.
Such assertions should not be made until investigations are completed. Other vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians or a stray animal could have caused the crashes.
Claiming that such incidents are single-vehicle crashes can confirm in the minds of the public that riders have a death wish and do not deserve their respect and consideration.
These are dangerous assertions that jeopardise the safety of all riders.
Crash stats
In fact, the statistics show that more motorcycle fatalities are in multi-vehicle crashes.
And in half of those the rider was not at fault.
Motorcycle Council of NSW chairman Steve Pearce said he feared police assumed crashes riders were guilty until proven innocent.
“I think there is a view that riders are more likely to be at fault in accidents involving motorcycles and that speed is the common factor,” Steve says.
“We see this in single-vehicle accidents involving a motorcycle, where the rider is automatically deemed to be at fault.
“This ignores factors such as road condition, line markings, recent roadworks, lack of signage.”