Posted in News on September 10, 2012
Motorcycles are involved in only a small percentage of the total number of vehicular accidents on Montana highways but motorcyclists face a higher risk of injury. Because of the increased risks, motorcycle accidents account for a disproportionate share of crash injuries and fatalities.
All too frequently, a motorcycle crash results from a lack of motorcycle awareness. Drivers in full-sized vehicles tend be on the lookout for other full-sized vehicles and may fail to notice the smaller profile of a motorcycle. The driving patterns of motorcyclists also differ from the driving patterns of cars and trucks. For example, cars and trucks may be able to ignore a piece of highway debris that a motorcyclist will have to swerve to avoid.
A rare accident between two motorcycles that recently sent two out-of-state drivers to the Billings Clinic in Red Lodge raises questions of whether road debris or a negligent driver are to blame for one diver’s death and the other’s severe injuries.
According to reports, a motorcyclist heading southbound swerved into the other lane and collided with a northbound motorcycle. The driver who swerved and caused the accident was pronounced dead at the hospital while the northbound driver was listed in critical condition.
The accident took place in the early afternoon and police reported that they had no reason to suspect speed or alcohol as causes of the crash. Nonetheless, if an accident investigation confirms that the southbound driver crossed into the wrong lane, the critically injured driver will be entitled to pursue legal action to seek compensation for medical expenses and other financial losses he will undoubtedly suffer as a result of the accident.
Source: KTVQ, “Collision between motorcycles near Red Lodge kills one man, injures another,” Sept. 1, 2012