A man driving a white Dodge Caravan was arrested and charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. The man’s van crossed the double yellow lane divider on North Tryon Street in Charlotte crossing into the southbound path of a 2008 Yamaha motorcycle.
After the van hit the motorcycle head-on, police reported the motorcycle then collided with the right rear tire of a Toyota RAV4. Attempting to avoid the collision, the driver of the southbound Toyota had stopped in the northbound lanes after swerving from behind the motorcycle.
The man on the motorcycle was pronounced dead at scene from injuries incurred during the crash. The drivers of the other two vehicles were not hurt. Police said alcohol and speed were not factors in the accident.
When police complete the results of their accident investigation in motorcycle accidents, it’s not unusual for their findings to show that the automobile driver was at fault. A report completed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states the driver of a passenger vehicle is usually the cause of a car-motorcycle accident most of the time and that the collision is most likely a head-on collision.
Another vehicle was involved in this collision, and if the police investigation or evidence such as from witnesses or traffic cameras shows that the driver was distracted in any way, for example, by texting and driving, then that driver could also be held liable. If a driver is found negligent, he or she could be required to compensate the injured party for damages, such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of wages and funeral expenses when the crash results in death.
Source: NHTSA, “Motorcycle Crash Causes and Outcomes: Pilot Study,” June 2010
Source: WSOC, “Man charged after van crosses double yellow lane, kills motorcyclist“, September 27, 2014