‘Being in A20 hit-and-run crash has made me realise how dangerous motorbikes are’
A teenage motorcyclist is hoping that his recent eye-opening crash will help teach others the importance of road safety. Aidan Goss, 17, said that he was travelling home from work on his motorbike on Sunday, May 14 at around 9.20pm on the A20[1] in Bearsted[2].
At this time, he states that a van pulled out from Roseacre Lane and the two collided. “A van pulled out, cuts me off without warning, I go flying over it and they just race off down Spot Lane,” Aidan said.
“I had injuries to my ribs, a bruised pelvis and a dislocated thumb but not that bad considering. I’ve been riding about a year now and never had an issue before, nothing like this.”
His injuries resulted in a brief hospital visit and required Aidan to take some time off work to recover. He continued: “To be completely honest, it kind of changed the way that I see motorcycles. I still like them but I know how dangerous they are now. Especially because of the fact that they’re not easily seen, apparently.”
The incident has also reportedly dealt a harsh financial toll on Aidan. “I have to pay out from my own insurance,” he explained.
“Because it was a hit-and-run, I have to pay £450 so I’m going to have to find that money now just because a van didn’t stop. It’s completely unfair, to be honest. I don’t see why a van gets to do a hit-and-run and I’m the one out of pocket.”
Aidan hopes his experience will teach other motorcyclists an important lesson. He said: “I was wearing all of my motorcycle gear. If anyone gets anything from this, to be honest, I’d hope people just keep wearing protective gear. I’ve seen so many bikers wearing just a jumper and a helmet. Now that I know what it’s like, what can happen, it definitely saved my life.”
A spokesperson for Kent Police said: “Kent Police was called at 9.23pm on May 14, 2023, to a collision involving a motorcycle and a van in Ashford Road, Bearsted. Officers and ambulance crews attended and the bike rider was taken to hospital as a precaution and later discharged. The van driver failed to stop after the collision and enquiries are underway into the circumstances.”
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References
- ^ A20 (www.kentlive.news)
- ^ Bearsted (www.kentlive.news)
- ^ Kent stations with replacement buses over the bank holiday weekend (www.kentlive.news)
- ^ Facebook page (www.facebook.com)
- ^ Twitter @kentlivenews (twitter.com)
- ^ HERE. (data.reachplc.com)