Motorcycle Awareness Month Proves Deadly in Hampton Roads

May is Motorcycle Awareness Month but drivers don’t seem to be heeding the message in Hampton Roads. We have seen three serious motorcycle crashes since the start of the month, claiming the lives of three riders.

A crash just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday was the latest in the grim toll. Police said the accident at Pleasant Valley Road and Ferrell Parkway left a rider in a critical condition.

Many of the crashes in recent weeks involving motorcycles occurred at intersections.

WAVY.com reported police determined the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta was trying to turn onto Ferrell Parkway when it ended up in the path of a motorcycle heading east on Ferrell toward Pleasant Valley Road. Police said charges are pending in this crash.

The rider was listed in critical condition at a local hospital. Wednesday’s accident caused lane closures on both Ferrell Parkway and Pleasant Valley Road during rush hour.

It follows fatal accidents in Portsmouth and Suffolk earlier this month.

In Portsmouth, a rider was killed in an accident involving a car on Jamestown Avenue and High Street.

Just days earlier two motorcyclists from Gates County died in a crash in Suffolk. The rider and passenger were Peter Donald Veillette, 65, and Donna Lee Jones, 52.

They lost their lives in a collision with an SUV at the intersection of Old Myrtle Road and Old Mill Road. The riders died at the scene.

Motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable to life-threatening head injuries because they lack a steel protective frame. Even at low speeds, motorcyclists can be killed or seriously injured.

Our thoughts are with the families of these victims. Far too often car and truck drivers fail to look out for motorcyclists when they are making a left turn with disastrous results.

May is designed national Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month because it’s a month when riders often get back on the roads after the winter.

Motorcyclists and car drivers should be aware of their surroundings. Checking their mirrors and blind spots, and using turn signals are necessary when they are changing lanes and when passing other vehicles.

You can read more about what safety precautions and drivers should take here.

If you have been injured in a crash on a motorcycle or lost a loved one, another driver may be to blame. Find out how to make a claim by calling us at (757) 333-3333 or see our resources on motorcycle accidents here.