Earlier this week, a motorcyclist from King George, Virginia was riding south on Route 1 near Dumfries and Triangle, Virginia. His motorcycle left the road and hit a guardrail. The motorcycle ended up in the trees, which was not originally seen by police. The motorcyclist landed in the middle of Route 1, and sadly, he was run over by another driver who could not see the body in the road. The motorcyclist did not survive the crash, and police are trying to determine if he was wearing any safety gear, such as a helmet, or if he was speeding or driving drunk.
Although this is not a typical personal injury accident case, it is important to inform motorcyclists about this crash because it brings more attention to the importance of safety equipment when riding on roads and highways. Motorcycles are the most dangerous vehicle to ride on the roads because they offer no protection whatsoever for the driver when in an accident. Automobiles have several safety features that prevent serious injury when accidents occur, such as seatbelts, airbags, and a windshield. There are no seatbelts to restrain motorcyclists, there are no airbags to limit impact in a crash, and there is no windshield or any other similar device to prevent the rider from flipping over the handlebars of the motorcycle. Motorcyclists must wear helmets and other protective gear and clothing to limit injury as much as possible if involved in a crash.
Here are some tips for preventing a fatal motorcycle accident:
§ Give motorcycles the full width of the lane even though they are small and do not take up the entire lane
§ Always use your signal when turning or switching lanes and check your blind spot for motorcyclists
§ Sometimes motorcyclists forget they have their turn signal on because they cannot hear it, therefore, be cautious if driving around a motorcycle with its turn signal on
§ Increase your following distance when behind a motorcycle to give them more space to maneuver in an emergency situation
§ Do not drive impaired at any time
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a Virginia motorcycle accident that is caused by the negligence or fault of another driver, please contact us to schedule an appointment at one of our office locations in and throughout Virginia for a free case evaluation. Call our office today at (410) 995-1515 or visit us online to learn more about Virginia motorcycle accidents.
