Motorcyclists are put at risk the moment they decide to head out on the roads. They have no frame around them to protect them from the impact of another vehicle, and they have no way to reduce injuries with air bags or other safety tools.
While motorcyclists can wear motorcycle gear and provide themselves with some protection, the reality is that many crashes are so serious that there’s nothing a helmet or bodysuit is going to do to help them.
Take, for example, this case out of Oregon. A man has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison after colliding with a pair of motorcyclists and killing them. According to the story, the man was a citizen of Mexico who was illegally staying in the United States when the crash happened, which further complicated the situation.
The 40-year-old man was driving a truck with a horse trailer when he ran a red light. This resulted in him colliding with a 34-year-old man and 32-year-old woman on a motorcycle. Officers at the scene reported the 40-year-old man smelling of alcohol. His blood alcohol content (BAC) was .10% two hours after the crash, showing how intoxicated he may have been at the time.
Worse is that he was involved in a property damage incident hours before the collision, and though he was asked not to leave the scene, he did. That’s the incident that spurred him to drive into the intersection where he hit the motorcyclists.
This tragic incident could have been avoided. If you lose a loved one in a crash like this one or are hurt yourself, know that you can pursue a claim.