There are all kinds of people who ride motorcycles, from people who wear leather to people who wear police uniforms. Riding a motorcycle can be a very functional and fun way to get around California, but there may be an increased risk of getting into an accident.
Motorcycles are significantly smaller than cars or trucks, but they have the same rights to a safe drive as anyone else. Sadly, there are too many drivers in California who have not gotten the message that they need to focus on the road and keep an eye out for motorcyclists. That seemed to be the case in one recent motorcycle accident when a driver not only failed to see a stopped motorcyclist on the road, but he or she also failed to note that it was a police officer on the bike.
The crash occurred in the early evening as many people were making their way home from work. Traffic had stopped on the road at a stoplight, but the driver of an SUV came barreling toward the intersection at a high rate of speed. Unable to stop or failing to stop, the SUV driver crashed directly into the back of a stopped police motorcyclist. It is possible that the officer may have had the emergency flashers on at the time.
The rider was crushed between the SUV and another vehicle. The officer survived the accident, but suffered serious injuries and was brought to the hospital in critical condition.
It is bad enough for a driver to crash into a motorcyclist; but when the driver is behind the wheel of a speeding SUV, it can only make matters worse. Motorcyclists are already at a size disadvantage in motor vehicle accidents, but a crash can be even worse when the other vehicle is much larger and speeding.
An investigation into this accident is underway as authorities try to figure out why the driver of the SUV did not stop or try to avoid hitting the officer. They will inspect the scene, question witnesses and try to determine if intoxication or distraction played a role in this crash. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, it may be appropriate for the victim to explore his or her legal options for holding the driver accountable for negligence.
Source: ABC 7, “Sun Valley crash leaves LAPD cop critically injured,” Amy Powell, April 5, 2014