Isadora Duncan rides again?

[Gob]

A young Sydney mother has died after her hijab became tangled in a go-kart in an accident on the NSW central coast.

The woman suffered severe neck and throat injuries after the hijab - a Muslim scarf that covers a woman's head and neck - became entangled with the go-kart while she was driving at Port Stephens Go-Karts yesterday.

Paramedics tried to save the 26-year-old, but she was pronounced dead shortly after she was flown to John Hunter Hospital by a Westpac rescue helicopter.
Police investigate after a woman died at a go-karting track in Port Stephens.

Police investigate after a woman died at a go-karting track in Port Stephens. Photo: Dean Osland

Detective Inspector Peter Fox of Port Stephens Local Area Command said today the longer part of the scarf was wedged down near one of the go-kart's wheel axles.

"[It appears] the scarf was pulled across her throat ... from one side of the body to the other side," he said.

Paramedics were called to the track on the corner of Marsh Road and Nelson Bay Road in Bobs Farm about 2pm after reports a woman had been strangled by an item of clothing.

Crews worked to stabilise her while the rescue helicopter flew to the site.

She was flown to hospital but died a short time later.

Family was on holiday

It is believed the woman's husband and children, who were on holiday in the Nelson Bay area, were at the track at the time, but it is unclear whether they were driving go-karts at the time.

Sharon and Scott Taylor, of Coal Point, were at the track with their young family waiting to use the karts when the accident happened.

Mrs Taylor said there were only two karts on the track at the time.

"The kart hit the wall and stopped and she was just slumped over," she said.

Mr Taylor said the severity of the woman's injuries was obvious as soon as paramedics began to treat her.

"Her clothing had wrapped around her neck," he said.

He said he did not hold much hope of the woman surviving when he saw how badly her neck and throat had been injured.

Police and WorkCover investigation

Detective Inspector Fox said police removed the go-kart from the site and were examining it mechanically and forensically.

Police were also speaking to the track's operators and the woman's family.

A decision on whether an inquest would be held would be made after a brief is prepared for the coroner, Detective Inspector Fox said.

WorkCover, which is responsible for the safety of amusement devices in NSW, is investigating.

A WorkCover NSW spokesman today said investigators had placed prohibition notices on two go-karts at the track.

One was for an unregistered go-kart and another for a go-kart "that did not have significant guarding", the spokesman said.

Go-karts are "classified as amusement devices that have to be registered for safety purposes", he said.

The owner of Port Stephens Go-Karts said she did not want to comment.

In February, a 15-year-old British schoolgirl was strangled to death when her scarf was caught in a go-kart wheel in Hong Kong.

In December, an 18-year-old girl in Cambridge, England, died after her scarf got stuck in a go-kart engine and strangled her.

Renowned dancer Isadora Duncan was strangled to death in 1927 when the scarf she had on was entangled in a convertible's rear wheel.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/family-sees-m ... -rvci.html

[BoSoxGal]

What a horrific way to die.

[The Hen]

Sometimes there are good reasons for Health and Safety to step in and prevent something happening.

There should never be loose head scarves on any ride like this.

[Gob]

Terrible and tragic, the ride operators should be banned from running the ride.