Lee James Nauman · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 22/12/15 I opened an inquest into the death of Lee James Nauman who, at the date of his death, was aged 24 years old. The inquest was resumed and concluded on 4/5/16
I found that the cause of death to be: -
1a. Head Injuries
I arrived at a conclusion of Road Traffic Accident

On 16/12/15 at approximately 7.15am, Lee James Nauman left for work from his home address on his Yamaha 125 motorcycle. He drove along Lee Lane, a single carriageway two-way road with no markings dividing the opposing lanes. It is accessed from the B6146 Cottingley Moor Road and eventually leads to M & M Yorkshire Stone at Bank Top. He travelled towards Bank Top until he reached Moor View Crescent, which forms a 90-degree T-junction to the left before a short row of houses associated with Moor View Drive. It was as he travelled along Lee Lane in the direction of Cottingley Moor Drive that he lost control of his motorcycle and slid diagonally across the road directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle, causing him to sustain fatal head injuries. The court heard evidence to suggest that he may have been speeding up to the collision, notwithstanding the poor road and weather conditions. Although there was some evidence to suggest that he may have taken cannabis the previous evening, it was thought not to be conclusive.

During the course of the inquest I heard evidence from ████████ (Collision Investigator), who conducted an examination of the road surface approximately 32.4 metres to the Cottingley side of the collision scene and found that the extreme nearside edge of the road surface was broken and crumbling away, leaving a pothole approximately 4 metres long and 5cm deep encroaching onto the road surface approximately 0.6 metres from the extreme nearside edge. He also found an area of leaf and soil debris upon the road surface 14 metres in length across the whole width of the road encompassing the pothole. Although there was no evidence to suggest that this caused or contributed to the loss of control of the motorcycle, ████████ was unable to discount the possibility that it may have had a contributory effect.

• To review the road conditions at the location and to consider the appropriateness of remedial action.