One person was killed and another critically injured in an accident on the afternoon of Sunday, May 10 in Lee County.
According the Florida Highway Patrol, a 35-year-old man from North Carolina had stopped on Islamorada Boulevard in the left turn lane, where the road intersects with Burnt Store Road. At that time, a motorcycle carrying two people was heading south on Burnt Store Road, approaching that same intersection. As the sedan turned left, it crossed directly into the path of the motorcycle as it approached.
The motorcycle was unable to avoid the ensuing collision. The 40-year-old male driver of the motorcycle sustained critical injuries and was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital for treatment. The 45-year-old passenger, a woman from Punta Gorda, was killed in the collision. The driver and passenger in the sedan only sustained minor injuries.
Police continued to investigate the crash in its aftermath.
Failure to yield and motorcycle accidents
All drivers are expected to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic when attempting to make a left turn. These failure to yield accidents are among the most common types of motorcycle accidents, as motorcycles have a smaller profile and are therefore not as easy to notice when approaching. In many instances, drivers taking a little more time to survey their surroundings and oncoming traffic before proceeding would be enough to prevent these accidents and the resulting injuries or fatalities they produce.
By their less-protected nature, motorcycle accidents tend to be much more severe. People who are struck on motorcycles by vehicles are much more likely to be killed in the collision than people who are inside standard passenger cars.
For more information about the legal steps you should take after being involved in a motorcycle accident, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.