Two women were critically injured in Philadelphia's Kensington section after their dirt bike collided with an SUV on Monday night, as reported by CBS Philadelphia. The incident took place at the intersection of Kensington and Castor Avenues around 8:30 p.m., beneath the SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line.
According to police, the victims, both in their early 20s, were riding a Honda dirt bike that was not equipped with a license plate, lights, or turn signals. They were heading southbound on Kensington Avenue when a Ford SUV, driven by a man in his early 40s making a left turn onto Castor Avenue, collided with the bike, as per 6ABC. The impact knocked the woman off the vehicle and caused serious injuries.
One woman suffered trauma to her head and neck and was unresponsive at the scene, police say, she was placed in extremely critical condition. The other, a 22-year-old, sustained injuries to her torso and hip and is also in critical condition but expected to survive, according to CBS Philadelphia. Both were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The driver of the SUV stayed at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation, as stated by the police.
There are no current reports of the driver sustaining injuries in the incident. However, officials highlighted the dangers of operating non-street-legal dirt bikes, especially at night. "To be driving them on the street is very, very dangerous but to be driving them at night just goes to show how dangerous this can be," said Small in a statement obtained by NBC Philadelphia. "More than likely other drivers on the road can't even see this vehicle since it doesn't have a headlight or any lights."
While a helmet was found at the scene, it is unclear if either of the women was wearing it at the time of the crash. The identities of the women have not been released, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the police.
