Bike crash claims life of Fenwick man

A 49-year-old man from Fenwick was killed in a motorcycle accident in Wainfleet on Thursday night.

Ontario Provincial Police responded to Highway 3 shortly before midnight for reports of a collision involving a single motorcycle.

On Friday, Const. Lauren Ball said the crash was caused by “undetermined reasons,” but did explain the rider and his bike left the roadway and struck a steel guardrail.

She also said there were very

few witnesses at the scene when it occurred, making it more difficult to narrow down specific details as to what happened.

“We’re not sure what the exact cause was in this case,” she said.

The frequency of motorcycle accidents around the province this summer isn’t much different than how many were reported in 2017, but Ball said they have become more common in the last decade.

“I don’t believe this year is higher than any previous years, but for the last 10 years, there has been a trend in motorcycle collisions on OPP-patrolled roads,” she said.

The provincial police are always warning the public to be careful and mindful of motorcyclists during the summer months and when accidents occur, it isn’t always the fault of the rider.

“It’s often the result of someone striking them that didn’t see them,” she said.

There are a few factors this can be caused by.

“It’s a combination of distracted driving, increased speeds, and people not taking time to make sure there are no motorcycles in their way when changing lanes,” said Ball.

The name of the man has not yet been released.