Police are appealing for witnesses to the accident which cost 45 year old Vance Ratteray his life yesterday on North Shore Road, between Shelly Bay and Radnor Road in Hamilton Parish.

In particular, Police are appealing for assistance from the man who was apparently riding with the victim at the time of the accident, as well as the driver of the car which Mr. Ratteray was overtaking. These and any other witnesses should contact Sgt. Val Holder at 299-4214.

The horrific head on collision occured at about 1.15 p.m. yesterday, on the corner just past the Jeffrey & Sons building on North Shore Road.

Police have confirmed Vance Ratteray was riding a motor cycle and overtaking an eastbound car at the time, when he collided with a truck coming around the corner

Mr. Ratteray sustained severe injuries and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. He was pronounced dead later yesterday afternoon. The truck driver, though appearing shaken, was uninjured in the accident.

North Shore Road was blocked off yesterday afternoon by Police, from Flatt's Bridge to the western entrance to Radnor Road while an accident investigator worked at the scene. Several grim pedestrians, though apparently no eye-witnesses, observed some of the proceedings.

This is the fifth traffic fatality to occur on Bermuda's roads this year. The fourth occured when eight year old Lavaj T'ago Thompson was involved in a collision with a truck on July 11, and succumbed to his injuries just five days ago.

The year 2000 saw five road traffic fatalities in total.