Ohio Motorcycle Accidents: The Risk & Reality of Brain Injuries
Posted in: Motorcycle Accidents
KNR Legal Blog
Fatal motorcycle accidents in Delaware, OH may be the result of several circumstances. A driver who fails to yield to an oncoming motorcycle may cause an accident. The same thing may happen if a motorist drives too fast for the road conditions or if a driver is distracted. The question is whether an elderly driver is any different under similar circumstances.
As a person ages, his or her body, perception, judgment, behavior and reaction to certain things may be affected. If that is the case, an elderly driver may be more prone to a motor-vehicle accident such as a motorcycle accident. For example, a deadly motorcycle accident happened in Ohio on September 18, 2014. According to the report and witnesses, the incident occurred when an 85-year-old man driving a Toyota Prius was traveling south on Rt. 23 in Delaware County and collided with a motorcycle. Apparently, the driver fell asleep, veered slowly into the median and headed toward the oncoming traffic.
There were two people on the motorcycle at the time, a 49-year-old man and his 51-year-old wife. The police report stated that the motorcycle slammed broadside into the Toyota. Unfortunately, the male motorcycle rider died at the scene and his wife died shortly after in the hospital. Allegedly, the 85-year-old driver of the Toyota cannot remember anything about the incident or if he dozed off behind the wheel. The retired professor was later convicted of two counts of vehicular homicide in connection with the accident. The incident also stressed the potential harm presented by older drivers, particularly those who are suffering from health problems, as was the driver in this case.
People’s skills and concentration on the road may diminish once they reach a certain age. For that reason, older drivers may have an increased risk of crashing. Motorcyclists are at a great disadvantage on the road in general. However, maintaining motorcycle safety is everyone’s responsibility on the road, including older drivers.
Source: The Columbus Dispatch, “Retired professor regrets crash that killed Marion couple“, Jan. 13, 2015