Motorcyclist Killed After Being Struck by Pickup Truck Driver in Jacksonville, Florida
A man from Middleburg, Florida was riding a motorcycle and was killed after he was apparently struck from behind by a pickup truck in Jacksonville, Florida, according to an article on News4Jax.com. The article indicates that the crash occurred late yesterday afternoon on Normandy Boulevard. It is unclear why the pickup driver did not see the motorcycle before he crashed into it. The driver of the motorcycle, Paul Van Degrift, was ejected from his motorcycle and died from his injuries.
We have seen a lot of serious traffic accidents in the Jacksonville, Florida area in which motorcyclists have been victims. Due to the number of careless drivers who run red lights and disobey other traffic laws, motorcyclists are more vulnerable since they are more difficult to see and susceptible to more serious injuries if involved in a crash. And as more and more people drive while talking on their cell phones and using other mobile communication devices, the risk of serious accidents is raised for everyone.
In personal injury or wrongful death lawsuits involving a motorcyclist victim, there is no mitigation for the at fault driver because the victim was a motorcycle. People driving cars and trucks have just as much of an obligation to look out for motorcycles as any other vehicle on the road. When a vehicle crashes into the back of a motorcycle and causes a death on a crowded road in the light of day, the fact that motorcycles are smaller than regular vehicles should offer no excuse for the at fault driver.
