Fatal Waikato motorcycle crash a traumatic 'mistake'

The man who died after his motorbike and a car collided at an intersection in Waikato is from Hamilton.

However, Waikato road policing Inspector Freda Grace said the 54-year-old's name would not be released until tomorrow as they were still contacting next of kin.

Mrs Grace said the motorcyclist was heading north along Tristram St, Hamilton, when he collided with the passenger door of a vehicle turning into Clarence St.

The car was being driven by a woman who had her daughter in the passenger seat.

Mrs Grace said the crash was not only traumatic for the victim's family but also the occupants of the vehicle.

"Ultimately it's a tragedy for both of them. Clearly there's one family who has lost a family member but there's also trauma and stress for others involved."

She labelled the crash as a "mistake" as neither party went out that day to purposefully harm anyone.

"Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks 'I will do something dumb today', it's just a mistake."

As for how the crash happened, Mrs Grace said it was too early to say what happened but the driver clearly didn't see the motorcyclist.

She said the man wasn't wearing hi-vis but they were unsure if he had a headlight on.

"He had a helmet on but no hi-vis. As for drivers of vehicles, it's about checking and re-checking before undertaking any manoeuvres."

It was the first fatality in the Waikato district for 2016, she said, while 42 were killed in 2015.

"Unfortunately we ended with a motorcycle fatality last year, too. But that one is possibly a medical event that will be determined by the Coroner."

Omanawa man Raymond Morreel, 65, left the road and crashed through a fence near Te Poi in the Waikato while riding with a group that included his family and friends on December 28.

Attempts to revive Mr Morreel by people at the scene were unsuccessful, police said.