Monday March 1, 2010 was a beautiful day and like a lot of other motorcycle riders I fired up my bike and went for a ride.  Brushing off the winter cobwebs I was careful to be very safe with my driving and very safe watching the vehicle drivers around me because I know that they are not looking for motorcycle riders this early in the motorcycle season.

I suspect that a 29-year-old motorcycle rider from Provo was doing the same thing - out for an early ride on his motorcycle.  Unfortunately a 19-year-old woman driving an SUV around noon made a left turn into the path of the Provo man on the motorcycle.  The motorcyclist was able to lay down his motorcycle, but still slid into the front fender of the SUV.  He was critically injured with head, chest and leg trauma.  Immediate helicopter evacuation was performed and the injured motorcycle rider was airlifted to Utah Valley Medical Center where he remains in critical condition today.

The motorcycle crash occurred near near 700 North and State Street in the Utah County town of Lindon. Police told the Salt Lake Tribune that the woman, who was northbound, told them she had glanced at her watch just before making the turn west onto 700 North and did not see the approaching southbound motorcycle.

The most common type of motorcycle crash involving another vehicle occurs when the other vehicle is turning left in front of the motorcycle rider.  I think the crash occurs for at least three major reasons.  First, the driver of the vehicle just is not accustomed to and looking for motorcycles.  We, as human beings have a tendency to see what we are looking for and if we are not looking for motorcycles on the streets we drive we simply will not see motorcycles.  Second, motorcycles are relatively small as compared to vehicles and they can be obscured from view by roadside obstacles or even the car strut that holds up the roof of the car.  Last, but certainly not least, is that because motorcycles are small they appear to be further away than what they actually are and vehicles turning left think they have all the time they need to safely turn in front of the motorcycle when in fact they do no.

I point out these common causes not to lay blame so much as to attune other vehicle drivers and motorcycle riders themselves about how left-turning vehicles cause motorcycle crashes.  We all, both vehicle drivers and motorcycle riders need to watch out for each other out there!

Utah Bike Law and its lawyers are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

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