A motorcyclist and his pillion passenger (both male) are both in a serious condition after being airlifted to Waikato hospital following a crash with a car on Kenny Street in Waihi at around 8pm on Saturday night. Initial indications are that neither of the men was wearing helmets.
The incident occurred only a few hours after a motorcyclist in his 70's was killed after colliding with a car on State Highway 25 just north of Thames.
The crashes come as Waikato Police gear up for an operation targeting motorcyclists in the District.
Waikato Road Policing Manager Inspector Freda Grace is deeply concerned at the number of fatal motorcycle crashes this year.
"There is no single factor common to these crashes. It's a variety of things including not riding to the conditions and failing to take crucial safety precautions" says Ms Grace.
"We have many older riders who take their bikes out infrequently and they're not as attuned to their bikes as they once were. However, the bikes they're riding are more powerful than ever. This combination means they need to have a heightened level of awareness and make a concerted effort to keep their skills current."
"It goes without saying that motorcyclists and their passengers are vulnerable and have little room for error. It beggars belief that some make themselves even more vulnerable by not maintaining their bikes to a safe standard, opting to forgo helmets or throwing other risk factors like inappropriate speed for the conditions into the mix."
This coming weekend motorcyclists can expect a heightened Police presence on popular motorcycle routes across the Waikato.
"As we gear up for summer and the traffic picks up on popular coastal routes, we want motorcyclists and all other road users to take a moment to remember that the road is a social space involving people. It's not a solo pursuit - one person's actions behind the wheel or atop a motorcycle directly affects others" says Ms Grace.
ENDS