June 3, 2013
Police have confirmed speed was a factor in a fatal road crash that occurred on the D’Aguilar Highway near Hodgeleigh North Road on Friday.
Acting Inspector Duane Frank said police had spoken to people who witnessed the head-on collision which occurred in a 100km/h zone between Kingaroy and Nanango.
“About 1:30pm, a Kingaroy couple in a 4WD towing a tandem trailer were heading from Kingaroy to Nanango. A 22-year-old Kingaroy man on a motorbike was heading from Nanango to Kingaroy,” Acting Insp Frank said.
“The motorcycle rider has overtaken a number of other vehicles and in the process has collided with the 4WD.”
The impact caused the motorcycle to become wedged on the front of the 4WD, which then ran off the highway and down an embankment.
The occupants of the 4WD, a 65-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman, were both taken by ambulance to Kingaroy Hospital with cuts and abrasions.
They have since been discharged.
The motorcycle rider died at the scene.
Acting Insp Frank said he had attended the crash site and it was one of the most horrific that he had been confronted with during his career.
He said police extended their condolences to the friends and family of the deceased motorcyclist, but the incident reinforced why people must adhere to the speed limit.
“Speeding has been a contributing factor to this collision,” he said.
“This is why police are out conducting traffic enforcement operations in an effort to get people to slow down.”
Acting Insp Frank said police would be preparing a report for the Coroner.
SES, Fire Brigade, ambulance and police officers – including forensic crash investigators – attended the site. Council staff were also involved in clearing a large amount of debris off the road.
“They were confronted with a horrific scene,” Acting Insp Frank said.
Tragically, the crash occurred on Fatality Free Friday, an Australia-wide road safety initiative aimed at achieving zero deaths on the road.
“It’s just got to stop, it’s just such a waste,” Acting Insp Frank said.
- Related article: Motorbike Rider Dies In Crash
