Two Fayetteville brothers died in a motorcycle accident that occurred on N.C. Highway 53 while they were returning from a Bladen County four-wheeler park on July 17. They had already returned home from the park on July 16 but went back in order to try to locate a lost piece of equipment. One of the men died at the scene of the accident while the other died as doctors performed X-rays at a local hospital.
The crash occurred around 12:20 p.m. near White Oak. The motorcyclists, ages 62 and 57, were riding side-by-side on the highway when an SUV pulled onto the highway from Pearl Lloyd Road and into their paths. Both of the bikes collided with the passenger side of the vehicle with one of the brothers striking the front door and the other striking the rear door. The 62-year-old man died at the scene of the accident. Paramedics transported the 57-year-old man to Bladen County Hospital where he also died.
Police said that one of the SUV driver’s sandals was stuck on the accelerator of the vehicle, causing it to cross the highway into traffic. Reports did not indicate whether he would face charges for the accident.
People who fail to wear appropriate footwear while driving may be more likely to become involved in accidents. Surviving family members of motorcyclists killed in accidents are often burdened with medical bills and burial expenses resulting from the deaths of their loved ones, leaving them to mourn while also worrying about how to pay the bills without their relatives’ income. Personal injury attorneys are sometimes able to provide advice to families considering filing wrongful death claims against negligent drivers.
Source: The Fayetteville Observer, “Accident near N.C. 53 claims the lives of two motorcyclists“, Nancy McCleary, July 18, 2014