A motorcyclist was killed and his passenger badly hurt in a collision with a vehicle east of Modesto Friday night.
Investigators said the tragic accident happened around 9:45 p.m. along Highway 132/Yosemite Boulevard near Albers Road on July 2, 2021. CBS-13 reported on the details of the crash after receiving information from the California Highway Patrol.
CHP Officers say that the driver of a GMC, a 26-year-old Modesto woman, was traveling west when she entered the eastbound lanes to get around slower traffic. It was there she encountered a Harley Davidson motorcycle carrying two people. The vehicles struck head-on.
The 50-year-old man driving the motorcycle died at the scene. His passenger, a 45-year-old woman was rushed to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto with major injuries. Both victims are from Waterford.
The woman driving the GMC suffered minor injuries. The Highway Patrol’s investigation into the accident continues.
Motorcycle Accident Dangers in Stanislaus County
If you spend most of your time on 4 wheels please check out this video:
People on motorcycles have learned to drive defensively at all times to stay out of the path of careless drivers. This defense mechanism keeps motorcyclists out of many accidents, but in the worst cases, drivers don’t give riders enough time or space to steer clear of a dangerous collision.
Stanislaus County and Modesto emergency responders are called to the scenes of these terrible accidents every week. California’s Transportation Injury Mapping System (TIMS) tracks motorcyclists all year long across the county. In 2020, Stanislaus County recorded 189 accidents involving motorcycles. Overall, 213 victims were injured in these crashes and another eight victims were tragically killed.
These shocking numbers show the level of dangers motorcyclists face on each and every ride. May is Motorcycle Safety Month and each year authorities try to educate the drivers of cars, trucks, and SUVS about how their actions can greatly endanger people on motorcycles.
One of the most important things for motorists to remember is that taking a longer look in all directions while changing lanes and making turns can prevent hundreds of accidents each year. Drivers often end up in the direct path of a rider because they took only a short glance before hitting the gas. Their glance doesn’t provide enough time to spot the smaller profile of a motorcyclist.
That extra few seconds to make sure the way is clear of motorcyclists is a simple precaution all drivers can take to instantly make riders substantially safer on California roads.
Contact A California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After you have been injured by a careless driver or your family has lost a loved one in a heartbreaking accident, it’s important to make sure you don’t face the consequences alone. The insurance provider for an at-fault driver should cover every hospital cost an injured victim faces in recovery. Families who have had a beloved member taken from them should never face the costs of a funeral and burial and other losses alone.
These hardships and more should be the responsibility of an insurance company, but victims are often forced to fight to get what’s fair for themselves and their families.
If you or a loved one is injured in a motorcycle wreck, please feel free to visit our information page on California motorcycle accidents for more information.
