Collinson, Clay Marsden
Deceased
Clay Marsden Collinson
Demographics
24y, male
Date of death
2009-04-10
Finding date
2011-02-16
Cause of death
Head, neck and chest injuries sustained in motorcycle collision
AI-generated summary
A 24-year-old male died from head, neck and chest injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash on Old Palmwoods Road, Queensland, after evading a police intercept attempt. The rider was affected by cannabis at the time and was travelling at excessive speed (estimated 130–150 km/h) on an unregistered motorcycle for which he was unlicensed. The police officer appropriately abandoned the intercept within 10–15 seconds when it became clear the rider would not stop, complying with QPS pursuit policy for traffic offences. The coroner found the officer's actions did not directly cause the crash; rather, the rider's panic over his illegal status, combined with cannabis impairment and excessive speed, led to loss of control on a sharp left-hand bend. The coroner commended the officer's discretionary decision to continue monitoring the road due to welfare concerns. Key lessons include the dangers of drug-impaired riding, the effectiveness of limiting police pursuits to serious offences, and the importance of adequate road signage at hazardous locations.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- Cannabis intoxication (THC detected in blood)
- Excessive speed (estimated 130–150 km/h in area with sharp bend)
- Rider inexperience with the motorcycle (limited riding experience despite two-year ownership)
- Unregistered motorcycle
- Rider not licensed for this motorcycle class (licensed only for up to 250cc, riding 900cc)
- Loss of control on sharp left-hand bend in Old Palmwoods Road
- Inadequate road signage warning of dangerous road formation
Coroner's recommendations
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council should review the adequacy of the traffic sign at the approach to the crash site adjacent to 200 Old Palmwoods Road to better warn motorists of the unusually dangerous road formation (sharp left-hand switchback)
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