A car accident in St. Joseph involving a motorcycle ended with the biker suffering serious injuries. Both the circumstances and the result of the crash were typical of crashes that involve a car and a motorcycle.
Car Accident Leaves Motorcyclist Seriously Hurt
The incident happened in the evening of Friday, August 10, on the Belt Highway near Sherman Avenue.
According to initial reports, the motorcycle was traveling northbound on the Belt Highway. A woman was going southbound in a Ford sedan, and took a left turn into a business’ driveway. However, while she was passing through the oncoming lanes, the motorcycle collided with her.
The motorcyclist suffered serious injuries. He was treated on the scene of the accident and was rushed to the hospital.
The driver of the Ford was unscathed in the crash.
Left Turns Cause Motorcycle Accidents
One of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents in Missouri and the rest of the U.S. are cars turning left across traffic.
When drivers turn left and pass through oncoming lanes of traffic, they have to judge the speed and distance of the approaching vehicles. When drivers do this, though, they rarely account for motorcycles. Motorcycles are smaller than cars and trucks, making them appear further away. Many drivers, therefore, fail to appreciate the threat that oncoming bikers pose, pull out into their path and cause an accident.
Motorcyclists are left with few options in these circumstances, as veering to avoid the vehicle in their path is almost guaranteed to cause another accident with someone else.
Most Motorcycle Accidents Do Not Hurt Anyone in the Car
Another thing that this local crash has in common with most other motorcycle accidents is the fact that the driver of the car was unhurt in the collision, while the biker suffered serious injuries.
This tendency should not come as a surprise: Motorcyclists are left largely unprotected from the impact of a crash, while car occupants are housed inside thousands of pounds of metal and plastic. Additionally, while bikers can only rely on only their helmets and clothing to keep them safe in a crash, car occupants have seat belts, air bags, and numerous other safety devices to insulate them in a crash. Finally, accidents involving a motorcycle and a motor vehicle have a massive weight discrepancy. While the force that a motorcycle exerts on a car in the collision is minimal, the weight from the car is often enough to throw the bike across the road.
St. Joseph Personal Injury and Car Accident Attorneys
The personal injury attorneys at the Smith Law Office strive to represent victims of both car accidents and motorcycle accidents in St. Joseph, Kansas City, Springfield, and the rest of western Missouri. Our lawyers can help you get the compensation that you need and deserve, especially after being hurt in a crash that you did not cause.
Contact us online or call our attorneys at (816) 875-9373.