25-Year-Old Motorcyclist Dies in Fatal Crash Near Kiryat Gat, 48th Rider Killed This Year

On Saturday, 25-year-old Sunny Shattel from Rosh HaAyin was killed in a deadly motorcycle accident on Route 35 near the Kiryat Gat interchange. The crash involved her motorcycle colliding with a car around 15:46. Emergency medical teams arrived at the scene to find Shattel unconscious, without pulse or breathing, and suffering from severe multiple injuries. Despite resuscitation efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other individuals were injured: the car driver sustained moderate injuries and another passenger was lightly injured; both were taken to Barzilai Hospital.

Shattel's funeral is scheduled for 17:00 on the same day at the Rosh HaAyin cemetery. This tragic incident marks the 48th motorcycle or scooter rider fatality in Israel since the start of the year, contributing to the total of 222 road deaths nationwide. According to the "Or Yarok" road safety organization, motorcycle riders account for about 22% of all road fatalities, with 37 deaths occurring on intercity roads and 19 victims aged 24 or younger.

Paramedics Adel Hamias and Moshe Oref described the scene as severe, noting the motorcycle was heavily damaged and Shattel was found in critical condition. Yaniv Yaakov, CEO of "Or Yarok," warned that riding motorcycles in Israel is dangerous due to inadequate infrastructure, insufficient rider training, and low road user awareness. He emphasized that two motorcycle riders die on average each week because the state has neglected their safety.

Shattel's death is a personal tragedy for her family and adds to the grim statistics of road fatalities in Israel this year, highlighting ongoing concerns about motorcycle safety on Israeli roads.