A young child spotted as a passenger on the back of a motorbike has sparked a safety reminder to riders in the Bay of Plenty.

The child was spotted by another motorist, who wishes not to be named, over the weekend.

He says the child, who looked ‘no older than a toddler', was accompanied by an adult on the back of a motorcycle.

'I had my four-year-old with me in the car at the time and I don't think the kid on the back of the bike would have been much older than him, if not the same age.

'We followed them for around 15 minutes and in that time the driver of the motorcycle was weaving in and out of traffic at speed.”

He says they followed the rider to Te Puna marae.

'That poor kid was hanging on, there were no back rests or anything. His helmet was way too big.”

A police media spokesperson says the incident highlights a need to remember safety when carrying younger passengers.

'Anyone carrying a child as a passenger should drive with due care.

'It is legal for a child to be a passenger on a motorcycle, provided the child is sitting astride a safe pillion seat, facing forwards, and has both feet on footrests. They must also wear an approved safety helmet.”