Cook Islands has recorded its fifth road fatality after an elderly woman, who was in critical condition following a crash last week, succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday.

According to police spokesperson Trevor Pitt, the latest death brings the total road fatalities so far this year to five.

Pitt stated that the file related to the crash last Wednesday was “being completed”.

In a statement last week, police reported a serious road accident on Wednesday at Pue, Tupapa, involving a collision between a van and a motorcycle

Police responded to the crash at 7:43am. Upon arrival at the scene, officers learnt that a 71-year-old woman, the deceased, was operating a motorbike, travelling from the Matavera direction.

A van, approaching from the opposite direction, made a turn in front of the motorbike, resulting in the motorbike colliding with the van, police said.

“The van was coming from town direction. The bike was coming from Matavera side. The van made a turn into a driveway in front of the oncoming bike,” Pitt said.

The driver of the van was a 70-year-old man.

The incident caused severe damage to the motorbike, with the front of the bike almost completely damaged due to the heavy impact of colliding with the van, which had minor dents and scratches.

The deceased was admitted to the hospital in serious condition.

The death toll on the roads so far this year has already surpassed last year’s total.

In January this year, two road fatalities were reported.

In Aitutaki, a 73-year-old Australian tourist, who was walking back to his accommodation with his wife, was struck from behind by a motorcyclist. The tourist sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead a couple of hours after the incident.

The motorcyclist, a 44-year-old man, also sustained serious injuries but was reported to be in stable condition. He was arrested by Cook Islands Police this week and charged with careless driving causing death.

In the same month, a 68-year-old woman died in a hit and run incident in Arorangi. A 24-year-old man, who has a criminal history of violence, dishonesty, drugs and traffic, was arrested and charged.

Pitt reported a medical referral for a female crash victim from Mangaia who later died in April.

In June, Cook Islands Police confirmed the death of a 39-year-old male who crashed at the roadside in Avatiu. Pitt earlier said that they were investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, May 31, on a side road in Avatiu. He had sustained fatal injuries in the collision.

• Teitimoana Tairi/Melina Etches