Michael Slater inquest: Biker, 52, died in Yorkshire Dales crash while overtaking car that was turning right

Michael Anthony Slater, 52, and his friend Alan Miller set off from their homes in Lancashire for an evening ride on May 17 last year, and were travelling on West Road between Colne and Skipton when the collision occurred.

As the motorcyclists turned onto West Road, they saw a Ford Fiesta pass them, but by the time they rounded a bend and descended a hill behind the car, Mr Miller noticed that it had slowed down significantly.

Mr Miller told the inquest at North Yorkshire Coroner’s Court that he did not see the Fiesta either brake or indicate before it began a right turn onto a road leading to the village of Lothersdale at the same moment Mr Slater, who was travelling in front of his friend, indicated to overtake it.

The Yamaha Thundercat bike collided with the driver’s side of the Fiesta, which ended up striking a wall, and Mr Slater was trapped beneath the vehicle. Despite the efforts of a passing nurse and doctor to resuscitate him, he died at the scene from chest injuries. A postmortem found no alcohol or drugs in his system.

The Fiesta driver, 20-year-old Louis Elcock, gave evidence to the hearing, and disputed Mr Miller’s account of the event. He said he had been returning from working away in Wrexham and was heading to his girlfriend’s house in Lothersdale, and had not been aware of the bikers behind him. He confirmed that he had braked and indicated before beginning his turn, and had checked his wing mirror, though not his rear view mirror.

Mr Elcock was never charged in relation to Mr Slater’s death, and police analysis of his car’s ‘black box’ uncovered GPS data that proved he had braked consistently for six seconds before the impact, and that his brake lights would have been visible, as there were no defects found on the Fiesta.

It could not be conclusively ascertained whether he had used his indicator. Mr Miller said he believed the Fiesta had slowed down to allow the motorcyclists to pass, rather than to turn at the junction.

Mr Elcock also pointed out that as the descent was a steep one, he could not have slowed down adequately by not using his brakes, and North Yorkshire Police forensic collision investigator TC Paul Harris agreed that engine braking could not be relied on to reduce the car’s speed to the 19mph recorded by the GPS.

Since the collision, on a 60mph stretch of rural road, North Yorkshire Council has improved signage warning of the upcoming junction and painted additional white lines.

TC Harris added that as the road was quiet, Mr Elcock would have had ‘no need’ to indicate if he was not aware of any other traffic.

The investigation report concluded: “The collision was due to Mr Slater making a conscious decision to overtake. There was braking by Mr Elcock for six seconds, and the lights would have been seen. Mr Slater had full view of the Fiesta. Mr Elcock’s view was restricted, and he also had to give attention to his forward view.”

Assistant coroner Jonathan Leach recorded a conclusion of death in a road traffic accident, adding that Mr Slater had previously been known as a ‘sensible rider’ whose friends had no concerns about his driving.