If you drive west of St. Louis for about an hour, you will come to Washington, Missouri. The town of about 14,000 was the site of a recent fatal motorcycle crash.
According to law enforcement officials, a 22-year-old man from nearby Marthasville was traveling south on Highway 47 when a SUV going north made a left turn and struck the motorcycle.
According to a news report, the motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Police said they are investigating the cause of the collision.
While there is no official explanation of what caused the crash and young motorcyclist’s death, we do know that in many similar incidents, the driver of the passenger vehicle does not look carefully before attempting the left-hand turn. So they fail to see the motorcycle and turn directly into its path or strike the motorcycle as they make the turn.
In both cases, the result is a violent collision between an automobile and a motorcycle. The physics of such a crash are invariably in favor of the much larger, much heavier vehicle and decidedly against the vulnerable person on the much smaller, lighter one.
Other common causes of motorcycle crashes include:
- Speeding: this reduces the time the driver has to slow or stop or maneuver safely
- Impairment: alcohol or drug use slows reflexes and diminishes judgment and caution
- Distractions: drivers paying attention to phones rather than roads and traffic
If you or a loved one has been harmed in a motorcycle crash caused by someone else’s recklessness or negligence, contact a St. Louis attorney skilled in personal injury and wrongful death litigation.
