Rotorua man dies in motorcycle crash with tractor, prompting safety calls

The death of a Rotorua motorcyclist on Hamurana Rd is prompting fresh calls for a straight piece of road to be monitored and the speed limit possibly reduced.

A 57-year-old Rotorua man died on Tuesday after the motorcycle he was riding crashed into the back of a tractor towing an empty hay trailer.

Police said the crash happened about 5.20pm when the tractor, which was heading towards Rotorua, started to turn right.

The road was closed for about three hours and diversions were in place while the police's Serious Crash Unit examined the scene.

The man's name is yet to be formally released.

Residents living in the area were less than 100m from the crash but were unaware for a long time there had been a serious crash.

Tai Thompson, whose driveway ends where the crash happened, said he only went to check it out when he heard sirens and was surprised he hadn't heard anything earlier.

Thompson said unfortunately there were often crashes in the area because all vehicles - including motorcyclists, trucks and cars - travelled "flat out" on that stretch of road.

"They come around the corner and see the straight, their speed doubles."

Another resident, Leonie Jones, who lives only about 150m away, said her mother had been sitting outside when the crash happened but heard nothing.

"There have been several crashes outside here and normally you would hear a bang or something ... It's very very sad," she said.

Hamurana Ratepayers' Association chairman Jerry Douglas said a recent reduction of speed to 60km/h on another stretch of Hamurana Rd had made a big difference.

He said reducing the speed on the straight where the crash happened could have advantages, especially in the future as more people used the road.

"People do come around that corner and put their foot down ... One of the problems is there's a designated turning lane into Glouster Rd and it's used as a passing lane."

Bay of Plenty road policing manager Inspector Brent Crowe said a common issue with motorcyclists - which was not related to Tuesday night's death - were many were not wearing appropriate protective clothing, boots and gloves.

"We are seeing more and more of them riding around in shorts, singlets and jandals. The tarmac is pretty unforgiving if you come off. I know in this weather it's not too comfortable wearing the correct clothing but it beats the pain of a skin graft or worse."

Rotorua had one of the highest death rates it had had in several years last year with 11 people dying on the roads.

Crowe called on all drivers to think of those 11 families.

"Eleven people lost their lives on Rotorua roads and it has a big impact on those 11 individual families year on year, particularly when they approach different anniversaries each year."

Rotorua road deaths
2012 - 4
2013 - 8
2014 - 4
2015 - 5
2016 - 8
2017 - 4
2018 - 11