Motorcycle Accident Kills 1, Injures Another In Head-On Crash

Posted in Motorcycle Accidents,Our Blog on March 27, 2014

A Louisiana man has died in a fatal motorcycle accident on La. 16 in St. Helena Parish, according to news reports. That 29-year-old victim was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck by a motorist accused of driver negligence. It appears that the driver was distracted at the time of the accident, though cellphone use is not suspected; officers say the woman’s attention was diverted by a party that was occurring on the sides of the road.

Official reports show that the 19-year-old car driver struck the decedent head-on. She also plowed head-on into another motorcyclist who was riding with that victim. The second man suffered moderate injury, though he was also thrown from his bike in the motorcycle accident.

Authorities say that the woman was driving west on La. 16 when her vehicle crossed the centerline. She drove in the wrong lane until she plowed into the two motorcycles. So far, that woman has not been arrested on criminal charges. That outcome could change, depending on results obtained from toxicology tests. Authorities said impairment is not indicated as a factor in the motorcycle accident.

Although we often think of distracted drivers as those who are using their cellphones, it is possible to be distracted by other environmental factors. Even if a driver is not using a technological device, he or she could still be considered at fault because of distraction. Those negligent drivers should be held accountable for their inattentive driving.

Victims who have suffered injury or the loss of a loved one in a fatal motorcycle crash may be eligible for financial compensation from the negligent party. A Louisiana attorney may be able to provide those victims with additional information about their legal and financial options. Such distracted drivers should pay for their negligent mistakes.

Source: The Advocate, “State Police: Motorcyclist killed by distracted driver” No author given, Mar. 24, 2014