Motorcyclist Died on Military Highway in Left Turn Crash

Left turns by cars, SUVs and trucks are one of the biggest dangers for motorcyclists. I was saddened to read about how a motorcyclist died on Military Highway in a crash as an SUV made a left turn this week.

Police said the accident took place in the 6600 block of North Military Highway in Norfolk on Wednesday night.

The emergency call came in around 8:20 p.m. Norfolk police reported. Officers said an investigation found a Ford SUV was going north on Military Highway. The driver tried to make a left turn onto Longdale Drive. The Ford went into oncoming traffic and hit a motorcyclist who was going south on Military.

A 58-year-old rider was thrown from his bike by the impact. First responders found the 58-year-old man lying in the road unresponsive, WAVY.com reported.

The rider was pronounced dead at the accident scene. Police said the 33-year-old woman who was driving the SUV remained at the accident scene.

This is not the first time a motorcyclist died on Military Highway when a driver made a turn.

Police said neither alcohol nor speed were factors in the crash. No charges were filed at the time of the WAVY reported.

Motorcyclist Died on Military Highway – The Hazards of Left Turn Crashes

My thoughts of with the family of the deceased motorcyclist. Time and time again, we see instances of riders being killed in left turn accidents. These wrecks are typically the fault of the car or truck driver, we noted on our Norfolk injury blog.

In some cases, a car will hit a motorcyclist. In others, the car or truck may turn so suddenly, the rider does not have time to take evasive action.

Motorcyclists lack the external metal frame of a vehicle to protect them. Often they are thrown from their bike with devastating results.

Figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggest riders are almost 40 times more likely to be killed in a wreck than car drivers.

That’s a big disparity. It puts the onus on drivers to look out for motorcyclists and cyclists when they are making turns on the highways of Hampton Roads. The alternative can be devastating.

If you are an injured motorcyclist or you have lost a loved one due to the irresponsible actions of a driver, please call our Norfolk motorcycle accident attorneys at (757) 333-3333.