A woman has died after the motorcycle she was riding on collided with a small cargo truck on the highway outside Akumal, in Mexico's Quintana Roo state. She was taken to hospital in Playa del Carmen in serious condition and died shortly after being admitted. The male driver of the bike remains hospitalised in a serious condition.

Details of the crash are stark. According to reports, the motorcycle was heading north on the federal highway when the rider changed lanes and hit the cargo truck. Both the driver and his passenger were thrown from the bike and skidded along the road before the motorcycle came to rest in vegetation at the roadside. Neither person was wearing a helmet — a detail that matters, given the outcome.

Akumal sits on the Riviera Maya between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, and the Federal Highway 307 corridor that runs through it is the main artery for the entire Caribbean coast of Mexico. It carries a chaotic mix of colectivos, tour vans, delivery trucks, rental cars and scooters, often at speed, with limited turning lanes at the smaller access points into town.

For visitors, the incident is a reminder of the risks on this road. Scooters and ATVs are widely and cheaply available for rent along the Riviera Maya, and helmet use among tourists is inconsistent. Local authorities require helmets by law, and rental shops are supposed to provide them, but enforcement and practice vary. Passengers on scooters — often the person least prepared — are especially exposed in a collision.

If you're planning to get around the region, it's worth knowing the alternatives. Colectivos run constantly along Highway 307 between Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Akumal and Tulum for a few pesos. ADO buses connect the bigger towns with air conditioning and luggage space. Rental cars are fine for day trips to cenotes and beach clubs, but night driving on the highway is best avoided — lighting is patchy, speed bumps appear without warning, and heavy vehicles move fast.

Akumal itself remains one of the quieter stops on the coast, known for its sea turtle bay, snorkelling and small beachfront hotels. Most visitors arrive safely and leave with nothing worse than sunburn. But the stretch of highway outside town has seen serious collisions before, and this one cost a passenger her life. If you do rent two wheels anywhere on the Riviera Maya, wear the helmet, keep the passenger count to what the bike is designed for, and think twice before changing lanes in traffic that includes cargo trucks.

A tragedy for those involved, and a practical warning for travellers heading to Mexico's Caribbean coast.

Story reported by Riviera Maya News.