Motorcyclists are very vulnerable in motor vehicle accidents because they don’t have the protection that cars and trucks provide. A motorcycle rider is 27 times more likely to die in a crash than a car driver and 80 percent of all motorcycle crashes result in injury or death compared to 20 percent of all passenger car accidents. In 2019 alone, 5,014 motorcyclists died in motorcycle crashes and 75 riders die every year in a fatal motorcycle crash on Washington roads.
Sadly, we recently lost a local motorcyclist in a truck verses motorcycle accident. As reported by the Northern Light, a Blaine motorcyclist was treated at the hospital for injuries sustained in a car accident at Blaine and Anderson roads on the afternoon of June 6. Washington State Patrol (WSP) reported on June 11 that the motorcyclist had died of his injuries.
If you have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident due to the negligent or reckless behavior of another driver; you deserve justice. Contact an experienced local motorcycle accident lawyer to discuss your legal rights.
Traffic Violation Leads to Fatal Motorcycle Crash in Blaine
The motorcycle versus truck accident was caused by a failure to stop at a stop sign – a common traffic violation. After driving through the stop sign as he turned from the eastbound lane of Anderson Road onto Blaine Road, the truck hit the front of the motorcycle as the rider was heading southbound on Blaine Road. The motorcyclist came to rest on the truck’s hood. The 58-year-old motorcyclist was transported to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Bellingham in critical condition – where he was later pronounced dead.
According to a WSP memo, the truck driver and passenger were wearing seat belts and unharmed. No drugs or alcohol were involved in the accident.
According to an email by WSP trooper Kelsey Harding, the truck’s driver will be cited for the cause of the collision because he failed to stop at the stop sign. This traffic violation translates to negligent driving. He went on to say that it was unlikely that the driver would face criminal charges for the accident because he was not impaired nor driving recklessly, though he was arrested after the accident on an outstanding warrant.
Common traffic violations that lead to car accidents
These are the most common traffic violations that lead to car accidents:
- Speeding can make it much harder to brake in time to avoid crashing into another vehicle, object, or pedestrian. A speeding vehicle is also more likely to lose control on a turn and collide with other vehicles or obstacles on the side of the road.
- Failure to observe traffic signs or signals. Running a red light or blowing through a stop sign are both very dangerous actions that often lead to crashes because traffic that’s legally driving in the opposite direction isn’t expecting a vehicle to be coming toward them.
- Reckless/aggressive driving. Drivers who engage in reckless or aggressive driving behaviors like tailgating or weaving in and out of traffic without using appropriate signals are not only at risk of getting a traffic ticket; they are increasing their chance of causing a car accident.
- Cell phones. Drivers in Washington State are prohibited from holding an electronic device – including phones, tablets, and other electronic devices – while driving, including while in traffic or waiting for a traffic light to change. When drivers are distracted by cell phones while driving, they are risking a dangerous distracted driving accident.
Seek the help of a motorcycle accident lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced motorcycle accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
