POLICE have confirmed a teenager is fighting for life in hospital after one of two crashes involving cattle on roads in as many days.
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The 18-year-old man was critically injured when the car he was driving hit cattle on the Thunderbolts Way at Yarrowyck, about 30km from Armidale on Saturday night.
Police said the teen was behind the wheel of a Ford Meteor just before 9pm when the accident occurred. His car lost control, left the road and crashed into a ditch.
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The impact trapped the man in the wreckage and he had to be cut from the vehicle. He suffered head and internal injuries and was flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
The day before, a motorcyclist was flown to Tamworth hospital after crashing his bike into cattle near Coonabarabran.
The 36-year-old man was riding with a group about 1pm on Wyuna Road at Nombi through a signposted livestock grazing area.
The rider hit one of the cattle and was thrown from his bike.
He was treated for injuries on scene by paramedics before being flown to hospital in a stable condition.
Detective Acting Inspector Damien Nott is the Acting State Rural Crime Coordinator and said both stock owners and motorists must be careful.
"As a stock owner, you are responsible to safeguard against your stock straying onto public roads; that is to ensure boundary fences are stock proof and the Biosecurity Act 2015 is adhered to," he said.
"If your stock stray onto a public road and are a contributing factor in a motor vehicle accident, you may be charged with a criminal offence."
Detective Nott said drivers should also report straying stock and drive to the conditions, especially when passing through a signposted stock zone.
"If you're a motorist who disregards a signposted stock zone and fails to give way to livestock travelling along public roads and travelling stock routes, you may face hefty fines or in some instances face traffic offences such as negligent driving or failing to give way," he said.
Drivers are urged to report straying stock on public roads to local council rangers or Local Land Services.
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