An experienced quad bike rider died from head injuries when his machine hit a tree, an inquest heard.

Michael Stickells, a 22-year-old labourer, was flung from his red Honda TRX into the road.

He was wearing a helmet but suffered traumatic head injuries and died in the Royal London Hospital.

Concerns about the safety of a speed-reducing chicane in Finn Farm Road, Kingsnorth, where the accident happened, were raised at the inquest held at Folkestone Magistrates Court.

But coroner Rachel Redman said that because there had been no other injury accidents in the last three years, it was not something she could take action on.

She added: “I am making a note of the chicane so if I get a case in the future, I can write to the highways authority about it.

“I think it would be inappropriate at this stage.”

Mrs Redman recorded a verdict of accidental death on Mr Stickells, who lived with his family in Portland Close, Kennington, and was a former pupil of Homewood School, Tenterden.

He died on December 12, 2012, two days after the accident.

Dr Rupert Pearce, an intensive care consultant at the Royal London Hospital, said in a statement that Mr Stickells had had a cardiac arrest at the crash scene.

A CT scan revealed he had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury plus face and skull fractures.

His injuries were deemed unsurviveable and he was admitted to the intensive care unit, where he died.

Dr Pearce gave the cause of death as traumatic head injury.

Skye Evans, of Violet Way, Ashford, said she was driving with friends along Finn Farm Road when they saw Mr Stickells’ body in the road and got out to help. The quad bike was smashed into a tree just before they got to him.

Paul Brooker, of Finn Farm Oast, said he saw the Honda pass his drive in a “red flash”.

He said that he could not assess the speed of the vehicle, but it was not going slowly.

He pulled out of his drive, and as he drove along the road saw the quad bike in a tree and Mr Stickells lying in the road in front of him.

Summing up, Mrs Redman said that Mr Stickells was an experienced bike rider who knew the road well.

“I am making a note of the chicane so if I get a case in the future, I can write to the highways authority about it" - coroner Rachel Redman

“We have no direct witness evidence to deduce what happened,” she added.

An inspection of Michael Stickells’ quad bike showed there were no mechanical defects, the inquest was told.

PC Derek Mole, giving evidence for investigating officer PC Terry Collins, said the accident happened at 11.10am on Saturday, December 8, 2012.

When inspecting the quad, it was found that the tyre pressures were low.

Three of the tyres – the fourth was too badly damaged in the crash – were taken away and fully inflated, and after 13 days, two had gone down.

PC Mole said the tyre pressures had been discounted as a cause of the accident.

But he said: “Low tyre pressure could cause the vehicle to oversteer and behave differently. This could be the reason for loss of control.”