Septuagenarian motorcyclist dies in crash

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MIRI: A 70-year-old man died at the scene where the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle yesterday.

Taha’s widow watches over him while waiting for the police truck to arrive.

The damaged 4WD vehicle next to the victim’s body.

Taha Wahab from Tudan Phase 5 was on his way home after buying several kilograms of fish from Mile 1 when the accident occurred near Kampung Batu Satu in Kuala Baram around 10.30am.

“The victim was about to make a turn on his right into a small lane in the middle of the main road as it is a short cut to go to the opposite lane,” said fishmonger Ahmad Tajuddin Abu, 37, who witnessed the accident.

He said the 4WD then rammed into the victim’s motorcycle.

According to Ahmad the victim was thrown into the air before landing on top of the 4WD’s bonnet.

The driver of the 4WD is believed to have only managed to stop the vehicle after a distance of 76 metres based on tyre marks on the road.

Taha suffered serious injuries to his head and several other parts of his body, while the 4WD’s driver and elderly woman passenger escaped uninjured.

His widow and family members rushed to the scene after receiving calls from bystanders.

Most of the eyewitnesses, including Ahmad, called on the relevant authorities to monitor the area for speeding.

“We also want the authorities to put up a clear signboard or yellow lines here so that road users know that there is a small lane in the middle of this road and therefore reduce their speed,” he said adding that many fishermen use the lane to move their boats from their village to the seashore across the road.