After an accident it’s wise to consult an attorney. If you have questions about legal issues in this article or in your own personal injury suffered in a wreck, call me directly for help – Lawrence Egerton, 336-273-0508, or e-mail me at [email protected].
Randy Gene Ector Jr., age 28, was airlifted to UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill after his motorcycle was struck by a car on Sunday, February 20, in Burlington, North Carolina. The driver of the car, Glenda Fay Brown, 43, was cited with failure to yield the right-of-way, news reports said.
Ector, who is a member of the Greensboro Police Department, was riding a 2007 Kawasaki west on North Fisher Street when the accident took place around 4:20 p.m. Ector, who lives in Burlington, was off duty at the time of the crash.
If you ride a motorcycle, you know there are a lot of hazards out there. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – and common sense – tell us that motorcyclists are more at risk for serious injuries than are occupants of passenger cars.
Burlington police said that Brown had stopped her 2000 Pontiac at the stop sign on Fulton Street at North Fisher Street. She then drove into the intersection and struck the motorcycle. The NHTSA reports that during 2008, roughly 50 percent of all fatal two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle were intersection crashes.
Ector was listed was in fair condition Monday. Brown was not seriously injured.
We hope that Officer Ector can make a quick and full recovery from his injuries.
Damage to Brown’s vehicle is estimated at $2,500. Damage to the motorcycle is about at $9,500.
It’s a simple fact that motorcycles are smaller and harder to see than cars and trucks. It’s also harder to judge the speed and distance of an approaching motorcycle than with larger vehicles. Every motorist should make it his or her personal policy to take driving seriously and stay aware of every type of vehicle on the road.
The NHTSA provides a fact sheet with tips on how to avoid accidents with motorcycles. Examples:
- Allow the motorcyclist a full lane width.
- Remember that a motorcyclist can be hidden in a vehicle’s blind spot or missed in a quick look due to its smaller size.
- Remember that road conditions that are minor annoyances to motorists can pose major hazards to motorcyclists. Riders may change speed or adjust position within a lane suddenly in reaction to potholes, gravel, wet or slippery surfaces, railroad crossings, and other obstacles.
And motorcyclists should make sure they are doing everything they can to protect themselves. This survey by the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program collected advice from motorcyclists on how to avoid being injured in a crash. (The safety tips are at the end of the document.) The survey also includes a variety of information such as the demographics of riders, helmet usage, crash experience and other statistics.