Father of two identified as cyclist killed in hit-and-run as police hunt driver

A Perth father of two has been identified as the victim of a fatal hit-and-run in the city’s south, as police confirm they are still looking for the driver more than 24 hours on.

Joseph Paratore, 40, was riding his bike on North Lake Road on Tuesday morning when police said he was hit by a white Toyota Prado four wheel drive about 5.20am and died at the scene.

CCTV recorded at a nearby business and released by police today shows Mr Paratore cycling along the side of a road in the early morning light with his front light illuminated.

Moments later, after Mr Paratore exits the frame, a white four wheel drive comes into view and speeds quickly past.

Mr Paratore was a husband and father to two young boys, with friends describing him as a "larger-than-life character" who was adored by the cycling community.

Jeff Grbelja, who was part of the same cycling group as Mr Paratore, said he was a "loving husband and a devoted father".

"Joseph embraced cycling because he wanted to improve his health and fitness and, most importantly, live a long and healthy life with his family," Mr Grbelja said.

"He often told me that cycling had saved his life. Those words are particularly heartbreaking now.

"The cruel irony that Joseph lost his life doing something he loved, something he genuinely believed had given him a new lease on life, is incredibly difficult to comprehend."

Police searching for driver

Mr Paratore was struck while cycling north on North Lake Road, just before the intersection of Sobek Pass. He was riding in a painted shoulder suitable for cyclists.

WA Police Detective Senior Sergeant Hugh Le Tessier said the Prado kept travelling north after hitting Mr Paratore, and then made a series of turns further ahead.

"After the incident, the vehicle turned left into Phoenix Road, right into Sudlow Road, and left again into Forrest Road," he said.

Detective Senior Sergeant Le Tessier said the car hit the cyclist at a "reasonably high speed" and he said police believed the front of the vehicle would be damaged.

"We did locate a mirror ... part of an outside mirror within the scene," he said.

WestCycle CEO Wayne Bradshaw said Mr Paratore's death marked the sixth cycling death in WA this year, compared to an average of four a year.

The ABC has chosen not to publish Mr Paratore's photo at his family's request.

Law 'not effective'

Mr Bradshaw said WA laws requiring drivers to pass cyclists while maintaining a distance of at least one to 1.5 metres — depending on the speed limit — was not working.

"The feedback we get from people who are on bikes [is] that safety is the number one priority, and the safe passing law that's in place has not really been effective," he told 102.5 ABC Perth.

Mr Bradshaw said in the event of an incident, the onus was on cyclists to prove a driver was in the wrong.

"Let's open up the discussion about presumed liability so that the evidence is not required by the cyclist, it's actually required by the driver to prove that they weren't at fault," he said.

Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti would not be drawn when asked about whether the government would consider that law specifically.

"We're always continuing to look at how we can improve the safety of our cyclists," she said.

Ms Saffioti highlighted road infrastructure as a key measure to improve cyclist safety.

"Such as more dedicated paths, and that's why with new infrastructure ... we basically separate the cyclists from the cars where possible," she said.