An unlicensed 31-year-old man riding an allegedly stolen trail bike has been charged after a fatal crash with two pedestrians in western NSW on Friday (10 April 2020).

NSW Police say the incident occurred in Creedon Street, Broken Hill, about 8.30pm.

A 34-year-old woman was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics but died at the scene.

A 57-year-old man was taken to Broken Hill Hospital in a serious condition, before he was airlifted to Dubbo Base Hospital with leg and rib injuries.

The trail bike rider, which was not wearing a helmet, was also injured but allegedly attempted to leave the scene and was held by witnesses until police arrived.

He was taken to Broken Hill Hospital under police guard for treatment and mandatory testing.

Officers from Barrier Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Following inquiries, the rider was charged – while in police custody at hospital – with aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death, aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, take and drive conveyance, expired licence, motorbike rider not wear a helmet, and not give particulars to police.

Police will allege in court the man stole the trail bike earlier that day from a house in Broken Hill and was riding it at a speed above the sign posted 50km/h zone when he hit the pedestrians.

He was refused bail to appear before Dubbo Local Court via AVL today (Sunday 12 April 2020).

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Our sincere condolences to the family and fiends of the woman who died and out best wishes to the other pedestrian for a full and swift recovery.

Unlicensed riding

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries believes that unlicensed riding has increased because it is too difficult and expensive to get a licence these days.

In the same decade that licensing has become tougher, the proportion of unlicensed riders has almost doubled, according to a Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) report.

Check out the articles below that we have published in recent years on this trend of unlicensed riding.

The growth of unlicensed riding crashes should concern all road goers, as well as pedestrians.

It not only creates danger on our roads, but their crash statistics skew the toll which creates a worse impression of riding.

Unfortunately, governments grab these crash stats and use them to impose tougher restrictions on all riders.

MUARC says 7% of all motorcycle crashes involve riders without a valid motorcycle licence.

Take those numbers out of the motorcycle crash statistics and they would be more realistic.

Unlicensed riders also tend to have 25% more serious injury crashes than licensed riders, MUARC says.

That’s probably because they tend to ride older motorcycles that don’t have modern and safer brakes and handling characteristics.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com