Police will be talking to the 52-year-old pickup truck driver who is alleged to have struck a motorcyclist, causing her death, in Nikao on Wednesday morning.

The 60-year-old woman died from severe injury sustained from the crash.

Police were called to the scene at 7.24am by the airport, near the RSA (Returned Services Association) building, where the woman was driving towards town. Police believe the impact dislodged her helmet.

Police spokesperson Trevor Pitt said witness interviews were extensive and were to continue later yesterday (Friday).

“Police will be talking to the 52-year-old pickup truck driver in due course,” he added.

Pitt earlier confirmed this was the country’s first road fatality.

Cook Islands, in particular Rarotonga, has seen a worrying trend in road fatalities in recent years. Last year, there were five deaths. The numbers were also high in previous years, with one in 2022, five in 2021, five in 2020, eight in 2019, and six in 2018.

Driver behaviour has been a major concern for Cook Islands Police following increasing number of road incidents in recent years.

In 2023, the annual total of motor vehicle crashes of 239 exceeded those reported for 2022, and the Covid-19 years of 2021 and 2020.

The highest annual figure of crashes on Rarotonga over recent years was 279 in 2018.