Safe Speed Forums

Inquiry into fatal crash near Dorset Police speed van

Police at the scene of the crash on the A338 near Bournemouth The A338 was shut in both directions

An investigation by the police watchdog has begun after a motorcyclist died near a Dorset Police speed camera van.

The motorcyclist died on the northbound A338 Bournemouth spur road at 0930 BST.

The A338 was shut in both directions between the Cooper's Dean Roundabout and the Ashley Heath Interchange earlier, causing severe congestion.

Dorset Police said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) had been informed due to the "proximity" of a stationary safety camera van.

The road has since been fully reopened but diversions remain in place at the Cooper's Dean roundabout and at Blackwater Bridge.

No information about the vehicle or motorcyclist has been released but the rider's family has been told.

Officers are investigating.

We don't know if the presence of the camera van was a causal factor in this incident.

Motorcyclist in death skid after spotting speed trap
By Martin Delgado - Last updated at 1:01 AM on 10th April 2011

A motorcyclist was killed yesterday when he braked as he approached a police speed camera, sending his machine into a skid.
Police officers manning the mobile unit watched in horror as the rider lost control of the powerful black bike in a 50mph zone on a dual-carriageway.

The camera was housed in a police van which had been parked on a fly-over on the A338 near Bournemouth.
Tragic: A motorcyclist was killed after losing control of his bike when he spotted a speed trap
Mobile speed traps have to be clearly visible to road users and are often marked with a camera logo.

Anti-camera campaigners have claimed the devices are dangerous because they encourage motorists to slam on their brakes.

But this is thought to be one of the first such incidents in which a motorcyclist has been killed.
The motorbike came to rest near the central reservation and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene just before 9.30am yesterday.
No other vehicle was involved, according to police.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: ‘Due to the proximity of the stationary safety camera van at the incident, the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints
Commission (IPCC).’
IPCC officials will now have to decide whether the accident falls into the category of ‘death following police contact’.
If it does, a full investigation will be carried out to establish whether the camera’s positioning played any part in the biker’s death.

The crash occurred on the northbound carriageway of the A338 Wessex Way, near the Cooper Dean flyover. Police closed the road in both directions, causing long delays for thousands of daytrippers trying to reach the South Coast.
It happened on an open stretch of the dual-carriageway, which also has a number of fixed Gatso-type speed cameras and is patrolled by police officers.

Tony Cripps, 70, a motorcyclist from Dorset, who knows the road well, said: ‘It’s a straight, fast dual-carriageway, a wide-open road and very smooth. A rider might feel that he can go as fast as he likes.
‘If you didn’t know that there’s a speed limit of 50mph, you would assume it was a 70mph road.
‘I imagine he saw the speed camera van, was going too fast, slammed on the brakes and lost control.’

Probe into biker death crash on A338
By Steven Smith - 9:10am Monday 11th April 2011

AN independent investigation has been launched after a motorcyclist died in an accident close to a mobile speed camera on Saturday morning.
The incident closed a long stretch of the A338 and caused traffic chaos for hours around Bournemouth.

Police were called to the northbound Cooper Dean Flyover at 9.26am on Saturday to find a black Suzuki motorbike had crashed.
The rider – who has not yet been identified – was pronounced dead at the scene.

Both sides of the road were closed for several hours before the southbound carriageway was reopened at lunchtime on Saturday.
The northbound stretch stayed shut for almost seven hours while experts combed the scene for clues as to what happened, reopening at around 4pm.

A police spokesman said: “Due to the proximity of a stationary safety camera van at the incident, the matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.”
The deceased’s family have been informed and the coroner has been made aware.

The road closure caused traffic problems on many surrounding roads and on the A31 approach to the A338.
Several police cars and an ambulance attended.

IPCC not investigating Dorset speed camera death crash
11 April 2011 Last updated at 16:22

Police at the scene of the crash on the A338 near Bournemouth The A338 was shut in both directions
Related Stories : [url]Inquiry into crash near speed van[/url] See below ...

A police watchdog has said it will not be investigating the death of a motorcyclist near to a Dorset Police speed camera van.

The motorcyclist, from Hampshire and aged in his 60s, died on the northbound A338 Bournemouth spur road on Saturday.
The accident was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) because of the "proximity" to a stationary van.
However the IPCC has decided there was no need for a "formal referral".

The victim has not yet been named but his family has been told.

'Traumatic incident'
The A338 was shut in both directions between the Cooper's Dean Roundabout and the Ashley Heath Interchange, causing severe congestion.

Specially trained traffic officers are investigating the incident and have appealed for witnesses to the crash.

Insp John Mallace, of Dorset Police, said: "My thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim at this difficult time.
"Our highly skilled investigators are now reconstructing what took place with the aim of not only informing the family of what happened but also to work towards reducing road casualties further.
"I'd also like to thank the members of the public who stopped to assist at what was a traumatic incident."

Inquiry into fatal crash near Dorset Police speed van
9 April 2011 Last updated at 15:48

Police at the scene of the crash on the A338 near Bournemouth The A338 was shut in both directions
An investigation by the police watchdog has begun after a motorcyclist died near a Dorset Police speed camera van.
The motorcyclist died on the northbound A338 Bournemouth spur road on Saturday.
The A338 was shut in both directions between the Cooper's Dean Roundabout and the Ashley Heath Interchange earlier, causing severe congestion.
Dorset Police said the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) had been informed due to the "proximity" of a stationary safety camera van.

The road has since been fully reopened but diversions remain in place at the Cooper's Dean roundabout and at Blackwater Bridge.
No information about the vehicle or motorcyclist has been released but the rider's family has been told.
Officers are investigating.