Crashes in Gwent leave E-Scooter rider and motorcyclists injured

These are the latest cases to be featured in Series Five of Crash Detectives[1], a BBC show focused on Gwent Police. On the morning of January 25, 2022, at around 7.30am, Aileta Oldak was riding an e-scooter into work along Traston Road in Newport. Debris from the crash between the car and E-scooter (Image: BBC)

Unfortunately, she was hit by a Ford Mondeo and sent flying into the front windscreen, while her scooter flipped over the vehicle and struck its rear. Gareth Lewis, 40, of Howe Circle in Newport, was taken away by police for questioning and claimed he didn't see Miss Oldak until it was 'too late.' This was the beginning of tonight's episode titled 'Fair to All Parties.'

Upon arrival at the crash site, police quickly determined that a nearby office had CCTV footage of the accident. A reconstruction of the crash between the car and E-scooter (Image: BBC) The footage initially appeared to show an open-and-shut case: the car was seen turning too early onto the wrong side of the road and colliding head-on with Miss Oldak.

The Crash Detectives[2] decided that further investigations should be followed out. A reconstruction of the collision was carried out, in which a Ford Mondeo was driven along the same stretch of road at the same time of day with a replica scooter. The reality and the video footage presented very different scenarios.

A reconstruction of the crash between the car and E-scooter (Image: BBC) Miss Oldak, who was wearing a reflective jacket at the time, blended in with the surrounding road signs and landscape so much that Mr. Lewis would have had only 2.9 to 4.1 seconds to react to the incident.

Although Miss Oldak was seriously injured, suffering broken bones, police determined that Mr. Lewis wasn't entirely at fault due to the illegality surrounding e-scooters. Mr Lewis was fined GBP360 at Newport Crown Court, handed five penalty points, and ordered to pay a GBP36 victim surcharge.

The crashed motorbike (Image: BBC) Also featured in tonight's episode were two experienced motorcyclists involved in a serious crash on the A40 near Raglan. The bikers from Sweden were only six days into their motorcycle tour of the UK.

The 47-year-old driver crashed the bike into a barrier, throwing his 45-year-old passenger across to the opposite side of the dual carriageway, well away from the vehicle. The uneven road surface where the bikers crashes (Image: BBC) What appeared to be a crash caused by the sharp nature of the turning turned out to be an entirely different story again.

Road markings showed that there were no issues with the speed at which the bike was traveling, but rather with the road surface itself. Uneven potholes and debris meant that the driver was more likely to lose control of the bike, despite his experienced and careful riding. Thankfully, the BMW bike (a very modern piece of technology) sent out a distress signal that alerted emergency services, leading to the couple's rescue by air ambulance.

The Swedish bikers who were involved in the serious acciden (Image: BBC)

Despite the near-fatal crash, the bikers haven't been put off by the incident and continue to love biking.

Crash Detectives[3] is currently available to stream on BBC I Player.

References

1. ^ Crash Detectives (www.southwalesargus.co.uk)
2. ^ The Crash Detectives (www.southwalesargus.co.uk)
3. ^ Crash Detectives (www.southwalesargus.co.uk)