Two men killed in motorcycle crashes at Congarinni North, Bolivia in northern NSW

Motorcycle crashes have claimed the lives of two men, including a 26-year-old rider, in northern NSW over the weekend.

A 26-year-old man has died after crashing his motorcycle near Macksville on Sunday.

Motorcycle crashes have claimed the lives of two men in northern NSW over the weekend.

Emergency services were alerted to one of the incidents about 1pm on Sunday after a nearby resident heard a crash on Wilson Rd at Congarinni North, 10km from Macksville.

The 26-year-old man succumbed to his injuries and died at the scene.

Authorities said his motorcycle had left the road and crashed.

Police are in the process of contacting the man’s family, who are believed to be locals.

A man has died in a crash near Macksville.

The second fatality occurred less than two hours later at Bolivia, south of Tenterfield on the northern tablelands.

Shortly after 2.30pm on Sunday, emergency services responded to reports of a crash involving a motorcycle and a utility on the New England Highway.

A male motorcycle rider had died at the scene prior to the arrival of emergency services. He is yet to be formally identified.

The utility driver was uninjured.

The proportion of motorcycles involved in road crashes has hit a 10-year high in 2024, with 50 of the 258 deaths on NSW roads as of October 8 being motorcycle riders or passengers.

Motorcycles make up just 3.8 per cent of registered vehicles in NSW but have accounted for 19.4 per cent of road deaths this year.

Young men are overrepresented in road trauma crashes.

During the decade ending in 2023, a total of 590 fatalities involved motorcycle riders or their passengers, with young people overrepresented.

There were 142 riders aged aged in their 20s who died in motorcycle crashes – 63 more fatalities than the next age bracket of people in their 30s.

Young male riders are grossly overrepresented: of the 142 rider fatalities aged in their 20s, 138 were male.

A third of the people in their 20s who died were on a leaner or provisional licence.

As with other vehicle categories, speeding was the biggest killer.

Roads Minister John Graham said no family wanted to be affected by road trauma, but in too many cases it was a young male loved one being hurt or killed.

“The numbers tell a story and that is that young males on motorcycles are dying in numbers that are too high and should not be accepted as the status quo,” he said.

“If you’re a driver, always check twice for motorcyclists and follow the road rules .

“The choices you make can save a life.”

Police have urged anyone with information about Sunday’s incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.