On Monday, June 3rd, a motorcyclist died after being involved in a collision with a car making a left turn. According to California Highway Patrol (CHP), the crash occurred around 5:45 pm near Campo, on Old Highway 80 near the Golden Acorn Casino.
Officer Jared Grieshaber said that a 78-year-old woman from Imperial was slowly driving in a Toyota Corolla south on Old Highway 80 when she began a left turn into the casino parking lot. When she did this, she turned directly in front of a 54-year-old man who was riding a 2022 Harley Davidson heading north.
Grieshaber said the motorcyclist slammed into the front of the Toyota, sending the rider off his bike and into the road.
The 54-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene, his name has not yet been released.
The 78-year-old woman was taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Police believe neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in this accident.
Motorcycle Fatalities in California
Data collected by the National Safety Council shows that in 2022, California experienced the second-highest number of motorcycle deaths, with 634 fatalities, following Florida, which had 668 fatalities.
While riding a motorcycle is exhilarating, it is also dangerous. Motorcycles lack the protectiveness that is afforded to passengers of vehicles. If involved in a collision with a car or truck, motorcyclists are much more likely to suffer catastrophic or even fatal injuries.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists often get a bad reputation and are wrongfully blamed for causing accidents, however, accidents involving motorcycles are usually caused by the vehicle driver’s error.
“Our hearts break for the family of the motorcyclist who was involved in Monday’s fatal accident,” says Brett Schreiber, attorney at Singleton Schreiber, “accidents like this are not only emotionally devastating but can be financially devastating as well. It is important that the family know they may have a wrongful death claim and could consider speaking to an experienced wrongful death attorney to learn more about their options.”
So, what commonly causes motorcycle accidents?
- Distracted driving: if drivers are not paying attention by engaging in activities like using their phone, eating, or adjusting the radio they may not notice motorcyclists in their vicinity.
- Rear-end collisions: if a car is following too closely, it can rear-end a motorcycle, especially if the motorcyclist has to stop suddenly for some reason.
- Lane changes: cars changing lanes without checking their blind spots can cause them to collide with motorcyclists who are in their blind spot or lane splitting.
- Failure to yield: drivers often fail to yield the right of way to motorcyclists, especially at intersections.
- Left-hand turns: this is one of the most common causes, when a vehicle makes a left-hand turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle, often due to the driver not seeing the motorcycle or misjudging its speed.
If you have lost a loved one in a motorcycle contact the San Diego personal injury lawyers at Singleton Schreiber by calling (619) 771-3473 or by emailing info@singletonschreiber.com.
