Student dies while drag racing

JAKARTA (JP): A technical high school student, who was drag racing friends, died on Tuesday when his motorcycle hit a trailer truck on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan in North Jakarta.

The victim, identified as Yosef Arivianto, 17, apparently lost his balance as he prepared to overtake the truck, his friend Utje said.

Utje said the motorcycle crashed into a truck, which had accelerated from behind, and he was dragged along the ground for several meters. The truck driver did not stop.

Yosef died on the way to hospital from severe head injuries, Utje said. Both of his legs were also broken in the accident.

Utje said Yosef, a resident of Jl. Muara Baru, in North Jakarta, was challenged by classmates to race along Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan after school.

The race began at the school gates and Yosef was leading the race, which involved six students, he said.

He said students from the school were often involved in drag racing along the main roads, ignoring the risks.

"It's better to race than be involved in street brawls with students from other schools," he said. "We can die in a brawl too, so what's the difference." (04)