A Recent Motorcycle Accident Leads to the Biker’s Death in Tennessee

By Thomas Greer | October 14, 2013

In September 2013, a motorcyclist was killed when a driver exiting a McDonald’s parking lot in Red Bank, Tennessee pulled in front of the bike while attempting to cross a road.  The car moved across one lane of traffic and moved into the path of the motorcycle in the far lane.  The biker was unable to avoid the vehicle, a PT Cruiser, and struck the driver side door.  The impact caused the motorcyclist to get thrown from the bike and slide into a truck traveling along the roadway.  The biker was hit by the truck and sustained serious injuries.  The motorcyclist later died.  This was the sixth death of a biker in Hamilton County in 2013.

Unfortunately, accidents like this are very common.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly eighty percent (80%) of motorcycle accidents lead to serious injuries for bikers and their passengers.  These injuries can range from painful to debilitating and include:

  • Severe road rash;
  • Fractures and broken bones;
  • Disfigurement;
  • Burns;
  • Amputations;
  • Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis; and
  • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Fatalities in crashes between bikes and passenger cars are common.  Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable to injuries and death because of the lack of safety features on a bike.  While the lack of encumbrances on a bike allows bikers to enjoy the true freedom of the road, it also means that the rider is not protected from accidents.  There are no airbags to deploy and no steel frame to keep the rider from the devastating impact with the pavement and other vehicles.  It also diminishes the size and visibility of the motorcyclist.

In the Red Bank accident, the PT Cruiser pulled directly into the path of the biker.  Presumably, the driver did not see the bike before leaving the parking lot and entering traffic.  This failure to observe the bike and its rider led to tragic consequences.  However, it is not an isolated incident.  Many accidents between cars and motorcyclists are caused by the car moving into the path of the bike.  Common impacts occur when cars are entering or exiting major roadways, changing lanes, or entering traffic from side streets or businesses, which was the situation in this deadly accident.  Frequently, bikes are traveling in the driver’s blind spot when the accident happens.

Although there are many driver education programs to make people aware of the bikers with whom they share the road, the burden still remains with the motorcyclists to be hyperaware of the hazards that surround them on a regular basis.  No matter how vigilant these bikers remain, there are times when they simply cannot avoid the collision.

A motorcycle accident is a terrible thing for the biker.  Even accidents that occur at a low rate of speed result in serious injuries.  Often the driver of the vehicle suffers little or no harm.  The Tennessee motorcycle accident attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC understand how terrible the injuries experienced by the biker often are and how much pain and suffering he or she endures.  Our lawyers have the skills to get injured motorcyclists the compensation that they need to move forward with their lives, getting the appropriate medical treatment and recognition of their pain and suffering.  Call us at 901-680-9777 to schedule a free and confidential consultation to discuss your case.  At Bailey & Greer, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.

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