Inquest Hears Motorcyclist Died After Drifting into Oncoming Lane

An inquest has revealed that a teenage motorcyclist who died following a collision had veered into the opposing lane. William Barron Hynes, 18, was commuting to work on the A65 near Skipton when his motorbike made contact with an approaching vehicle before colliding with a second one on 18 August last year. After being ejected from his Yamaha motorbike, another motorist administered CPR to the teenager before he was transported to Leeds General Infirmary. Mr Hynes, a resident of Gargrave, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital the subsequent afternoon. During proceedings at North Yorkshire Coroner’s Court, testimony indicated that Mr Hynes was in his “normal happy self” state upon departing his residence that morning. Other drivers present on the Yorkshire Dales route reported that he was not observed driving erratically or exceeding the speed limit. Angus Duncan, en route to the Lake District, observed Mr Hynes approaching him around a bend in the incorrect lane. Mr Duncan testified at the inquest, stating: “I swerved and pulled on to the grass verge and then I heard the crash behind me.” According to Mr Duncan, the motorbike initially struck the wing mirror of his Kia before colliding with a pick-up truck that was following him, at approximately 08:10 BST. Paul Bainbridge, the driver of the truck, informed the inquest that he had “slammed his brakes on” but the motorbike proceeded “straight at him.” He further stated that the airbags in his Ford Ranger deployed, filling the vehicle with dust. Mr Bainbridge recounted, “The impact was that severe, it moved my truck to the other side of the road.” Traffic Sergeant Ken Riley of North Yorkshire Police conducted an investigation of the collision scene. He reported that the morning’s conditions were sunny and dry, accompanied by only a light breeze, with no discernible factors on the road’s surface that would have led to a collision. TS Riley confirmed that no mechanical faults were identified in any of the three vehicles involved, and he was unable to definitively determine the reason Mr Hynes had veered into the opposing lane. The segment of road where the incident occurred featured double solid white lines, signifying a prohibition on overtaking. Coroner Jonathan Heath formally concluded the death was due to a road traffic collision. Following the inquest, Mr Hynes’ family characterized him as an individual who would “do anything for anyone.” At the time of his passing, he was employed at The Dalesman cafe and tearooms in Skipton and was anticipating the commencement of an engineering apprenticeship. A memorial in his honor has been established within a wildflower garden in Gargrave. Furthermore, the teenager was an organ donor, and his father, Barrie, stated that four lives were saved due to his death.