A motorcyclist killed in Pakuranga today was a student of nearby Pakuranga College. The male senior student died when his motorbike collided with a Rav 4 shortly before 1pm on Pakuranga Rd, near the school.
Death of teen motorcyclist on Pakuranga Rd takes this year’s horror road toll to 248.
The Pakuranga College community is in mourning after the death of one of its senior students in a motorcycle accident.
He has been named as Year 13 student Josh Martin, also known as Josh O'Hanlon.
Josh's death on Pakuranga Rd near the school about 1pm yesterday puts this year's road toll at 248 - 36 more deaths compared with the same time last year.
The teenager's bike and a Rav4 collided outside McDonald's. Passersby rushed to his aid, including a woman who was a nurse, said Chloe Hope-Benson, who was two cars away from the collision.
"She was helping give him CPR and a couple of other people were calling the ambulance.
"His bike was pretty smashed; the parts were all over the road."
Josh was a very popular and valued student, Pakuranga College says. Photo / Facebook
Jason Lilsht Sanders and his wife, who were in a car nearby, tried to help. "There were two ladies already administering CPR," he said.
"My wife offered to take over if the ladies got tired. My wife then proceeded to calm the driver of the vehicle that was involved in the accident as she noticed he was in shock.
"I moved the car under police instruction to a safer place. I sat with the young man's son that was still in the car."
Josh was involved in the school's concert band, his house arts challenge and the annual dance festival, Stage Challenge. He was also a leader of the school's Kauri house and member of the Bucklands Sea Scout Group.
College principal Mike Williams described the loss as devastating.
He said Josh "was a very valued member of the community and very popular in the school. The whole school community is going to be very upset by this."
Tributes were flowing from members of the school community on the college Facebook page last night.
Kyla Miller extended her deepest sympathies to the teenager's family. "Rest in love, thanks for being a wonderful friend to my children."
Lisa Emmens said she would never forget the memories they shared.
Steph McHale died in a car crash in Rotorua. Photo / Supplied
"You had such a great personality and always fun to be around. You were very caring and always put others before you ... you were one of my closest friends and will be dearly missed by us all."
On Wednesday, Stephanie McHale, 29, died after her car and a ute collided on State Highway 5. Her 6-week-old son survived but was taken to hospital.
The Rotorua-based triathlete's friends and family were mourning the loss of someone they described as being full of endless energy and unwavering dedication.
In two other traffic incidents yesterday, a 14-year-old girl was taken to Starship hospital in a serious condition after being hit by a car on a traffic island on the corner of St Lukes and Taylors Rds in Auckland, while four others, two of them children, were rescued after a three-car collision in Whangarei.
Figures released by the Ministry of Transport yesterday show 247 people have been killed on our roads so far this year. The young motorcyclist's death brought this number to 248.
At the same time last year, there had been 212 deaths and 197 in 2013.
Automobile Association road safety spokesman Dylan Thomsen said the figures were puzzling, although the toll was on a long-term downward trend.
"I think everybody involved in road safety right now is concerned by the fact that the number of people dying on the roads has gone up again," he said.
He said the 2013 toll of 253 was the lowest since the 1950s and other indicators about road safety were heading in the right direction, with fewer drink-drivers, cars were safer and open-road speeds were dropping.
He pointed to research suggesting there was sometimes no explanation for road deaths.
"Someone could be doing everything right and just make a mistake, not see something, or they could be in the wrong place at the wrong time and someone crosses the centre line."
Ministry land transport safety manager Leo Mortimer said there could be volatility in road tolls.
"The Ministry of Transport is commissioning research into 2013, 2014 and 2015 year-to-date crashes to look for detailed patterns and reasons. We expect the results of the research to be available next year," he said.
