A wrong-way accident on State Road 414 in Apopka resulted in the death of a woman and critical injuries to a man.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 44-year-old Mount Dora woman was riding her 2017 Honda motorcycle with a 34-year-old male passenger from Clermont on State Road 414 near Hiawassee Road at approximately 3:25 a.m. October 21, when the collision occurred. A 2014 Kia being driven by a 26-year-old Apopka woman was reportedly traveling the wrong way on the highway and collided head-on with the motorcycle.
The female driver of the motorcycle passed away from her injuries while at the hospital. The man remained at Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition. He was wearing a helmet — it was unreported whether the woman was. Charges were pending against the driver of the Kia, as were the results of a blood alcohol test.
Dangers of wrong-way crashes
Wrong-way collisions are extremely dangerous, especially on open highways. They involve two vehicles striking each other head-first, which can result in extremely serious injuries and a high likelihood of fatality. This particular crash was especially likely to be fatal in that it involved a motorcycle, which has significantly fewer protections for the rider compared to an enclosed passenger vehicle.
Most wrong-way drivers tend to be under the influence of alcohol, but occasionally people drive the wrong way because they were distracted or because poor signage sends them onto an offramp rather than an onramp.
For more information on how to take action against a negligent driver who injured you or a loved one in an accident, work with a skilled Florida personal injury attorney at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh.