Motorcycles can be fun, but they’re not the safest vehicles to drive. They leave riders with no protection in the event of an accident. One Florida man was recently killed after his motorcycle was rear-ended by a motorist.
The motorcycle accident occurred on the evening of Nov. 22 on State Road 44. The 34-year-old motorcyclist was traveling westbound in Sumter County, by County Road 231, when he was rear-ended by a 92-year-old man driving a Hyundai.
The motorcyclist, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected from the motorcycle. He landed on the highway and was hit by two other vehicles. Another vehicle then hit the motorcycle. The man died at the accident scene. The driver who hit him was uninjured. Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating the accident.
Although a person should not be prohibited from driving simply because of their age, there are steps that can be taken to keep an older person off the roadways if they have exhibited signs of unsafe driving. Perception, judgment and vision all decrease as we age, increasing the risk of accidents.
Some would say that the motorcyclist should be held liable too because he made the decision to ride without a helmet. But would a helmet have protected him and saved his life?
The victim’s family may wish to seek justice and closure and sue the man for wrongful death since he will likely be held liable for the death. Those who rear-end another vehicle are almost always at fault. A financial recovery would help pay for funeral expenses and other damages caused by the accident.
Source: Orlando Sentinel, “FHP: Summerfield man killed on State Road 44 after motorcycle crash” Martin E. Comas, Nov. 26, 2013
