A recent San Antonio motorcycle accident involving two motorcyclists struck by a driver who hit them while making a turn highlights the importance of educating drivers to be more aware of motorcyclists in order to avoid such accidents, according to San Antonio motorcycle accident lawyer Jorge Herrera of The Herrera Law Firm in San Antonio, TX.
"It's not simply enough for drivers to say they didn't see a motorcyclist before driving into one," Herrera said. "Drivers need to be more aware of their surroundings and do more to avoid crashing into innocent motorcyclists in San Antonio and throughout Texas. The two motorcyclists recently struck by a driver in San Antonio survived. But many motorcyclists are not so lucky. That's why more needs to be done to educate drivers to share the road with motorcyclists throughout the Lone Star State."
A man and a woman traveling on a motorcycle in San Antonio sustained "substantial injuries" when their BMW motorcycle slammed into a vehicle that was turning across their lane, according to an article published by MySanAntonio.com about the accident. (MySanAntonio.com, "Two injured in motorcycle crash Wednesday morning," Aug. 12, 2015) The driver claimed "he had a flashing arrow and misjudged the distance of the motorcycle before turning," according to the same news article.
The article did not state if the motorcyclists were wearing helmets. In Texas, motorcyclists under 20 years old are required to wear helmets, according to an article about motorcycle helmet laws nationwide published by Consumer Reports website. (Consumer Reports, "State-By-State guide to motorcycle helmet laws," July 4, 2014)
The number of motorcycle accident fatalities declined slightly statewide last year. In 2014, a total of 463 people were killed in motorcycle accidents in Texas, according to statistics compiled by the Texas Department of Transportation. An additional 9,182 people sustained injuries in motorcycle accidents in Texas in 2014, according to the same statistics.
In contrast, 491 people were killed in motorcycle accidents in Texas in 2013, the highest figure since 2008, when 524 people were killed in motorcycle accidents statewide, according to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Non-fatal motorcycle injury statistics were not provided by the NHTSA.
Countywide motorcycle accident statistics were not available for 2014. But in 2013, a total of 44 people died in motorcycle accidents in Bexar County, Texas, which includes parts of San Antonio, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics. That figure represents the highest number of motorcycle accident fatalities in Bexar County in five years.
Most motorcycle accidents involving other vehicles are caused by drivers, not motorcyclists, according to attorney Herrera. "Many people falsely accuse motorcyclists of causing serious motorcycle accidents involving cars or trucks," Herrera said. "We know the truth. We know that most motorcyclists are law-abiding citizens who sustain serious injuries due to the reckless behavior of other drivers. From speeding to texting while driving or drinking and driving, many Texas drivers put motorcyclists' lives at risk. Such behavior needs to stop. That's why we're honored to fight for the rights of motorcycle accident victims in San Antonio and throughout Texas."
