Two people were killed and another seriously injured in a car accident in Sarasota County.
According to officials from Florida Highway Patrol, the accident occurred late on a Sunday night. An SUV was traveling north on U.S. 41, and the driver was trying to turn on to Bayshore Road. However, she drove directly into the path of a motorcycle with two riders.
As a result of the collision, both the driver and passenger of the motorcycle were killed: a 30-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman. Neither of the motorcyclists were wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.
The crash remained under investigation. There was no initial indication as to whether the driver of the SUV was charged.
Failure to yield a common cause of motorcycle accidents
One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is a failure on the part of drivers to yield to motorcyclists while turning. Because motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles on the road, it’s easier to miss them when scanning for oncoming traffic or potential hazards.
However, this is no excuse for the driver who failed to yield. All drivers are required to be sufficiently careful in proceeding with left turns in making sure they have the right of way to go ahead. A failure to notice a motorcycle means the driver was not sufficiently careful, and thus is liable for any resulting accidents or injuries.
While the lack of helmets could contribute to motorcyclists sharing some of the blame in the case, the majority of the blame would fall on a driver failing to yield the right of way to them.
For more information about proceeding with a motorcycle accident claim against a negligent driver, contact an experienced Bradenton, FL personal injury lawyer at Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez & Walsh.