Inquest Reveals Motorcyclist in Fatal Collision Was Three Times Over Drink-Drive Limit

An inquest revealed that a motorcyclist, who died in a head-on collision, had a blood alcohol level three times the legal drink-drive limit and also tested positive for cocaine. Lewis Dobson collided with a lorry on the A1041 Snaith Bridge on August 25, 2023, after attempting to overtake a queue of vehicles. The inquest, held in Northallerton, was informed that the 21-year-old sustained a traumatic brain injury and succumbed to his injuries at the crash site. Coroner Jonathan Heath extended his sympathies to Mr Dobson’s family before formally concluding the death as a result of a road traffic collision. Before the collision, witnesses reported observing Mr Dobson, dressed in a tracksuit, pink helmet, and flip-flops, falling from his motorcycle while performing a wheelie in a nearby village. A statement read in court from one witness indicated that he had “sped off” on his motorcycle, subsequently falling backward and losing a shoe. The witness further stated that he then remounted the white Husqvarna 125 and proceeded towards Snaith. Mark Johnson, the driver of the lorry, testified at the inquest that he was driving in the direction of Selby when he observed Mr Dobson approaching him on the incorrect side of the road. He recounted, “I thought ‘he’s going to hit me’ and I tried to brake and turn.” Despite Mr Dobson’s attempt to return to his proper lane, he collided with the corner of the lorry’s cab. Michael Brough, a forensic collision investigator with West Yorkshire Police, informed the inquest that the road surface was in good condition and the weather was sunny and dry. He observed that the motorcycle’s rear brake pads had not been maintained and its back tyre was underinflated. Brough further stated that while the defect might have played “some part” in the collision, it was not the primary cause. Mr Brough concluded that he believed the principal cause was Mr Dobson’s attempt to overtake on a “blind uphill bend,” and that Mr Johnson could not have acted differently to prevent the incident.