A tragic reminder about motorcycle safety

This week’s Tort Talk post is a little more personal.

You know how devoted I am to motorcycle safety as a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer. I’ve seen first-hand through the cases I’ve handled how oblivious so many drivers are to our motorcyclist friends. Yes, motorcyclists often have to overcome the stigma of lane-splitting, which, by-the-way, is legal in California. I just recently settled a motorcycle accident case where a driver exiting a parking lot completely cut-off my client who had the right-of-way. It happens all the time, sadly.

Earlier this week, I was driving in Los Angeles and was stuck in traffic (big surprise, right!?). As I made my way to the intersection where I needed to turn, I saw a commotion in middle of the intersection. Then I saw an awful sight.

A motorcyclist was down. He was on his back, and a civilian was performing chest compressions and CPR. Dozens of people were in their vehicles stunned by this scene. I was among them. A few hours later, when I again drove near this intersection, it was roped off. Traffic was diverted away, the coroner’s van was at the scene, and police were collecting evidence.

The motorcyclist lost his life. I did not witness the actual collision, so I don’t know what happened, or how it happened. But I do know that what observed earlier was a scene that plays out every day throughout Los Angeles and in fact, the entire United States. A motorcyclist killed in a collision with another vehicle. The individual doing the chest compressions that I witnessed earlier was trying desperately to save the motorcyclist. The intensity of the scene and the associated trauma is something I probably will never forget. My deepest thoughts and prayers go out to the motorcyclist’s family.

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