Speeding was a likely factor in a recent accident involving a motorcycle in east Charlotte. At approximately 6 p.m. on Thursday evening, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police responded to the scene of a fiery motorcycle crash on Albemarle Road near Nathaniel Greene Lane. A Kawasaki motorcycle was on fire as it lay on its side in the roadway, near a GMC pickup truck with damage to its back.
CMPD reported that the motorcyclist, Devin Williams, 26, was speeding on Albemarle Road. As he approached Nathaniel Greene Lane, he collided with the back of the truck as the it turned onto Albemarle Road.
Williams was taken to the hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The truck driver was not injured and was not impaired. The toxicology results are pending to determine if Williams was impaired.
Motorcyclists at higher risk when speeding or impaired
Unfortunately, a third of all motorcycle fatalities occur when the biker is speeding, and another third involve alcohol impairment. Overall, motorcycle accidents occur almost 27 times as often as car fatalities, and 76% of the time the impact of the motorcycle is in the front.
The likelihood of severe injury or death is also much higher in motorcycle accidents than motor vehicle crashes, with head-on collisions accounting for 75% of all biker collisions. Motorcyclists are more likely to experience serious head trauma in a collision with a car, and they are more likely to be severely injured when thrown from a motorcycle.
In addition, medical bills for injured motorcyclists are higher than for injured car drivers, ranging from $6,000 to $30,000. This does not include long-term expenses for head or neck trauma victims, many of whom are unhelmeted.
The aftermath of a serious accident
People who are involved in a serious traffic accident can see their lives changed in an instant, with the road to recovery from catastrophic injury lasting months or even years. Insurance companies can delay or refuse to pay claims, and recovering compensation from an at-fault driver can be challenging. It can help to have a trusted and experienced legal advocate serving Charlotte and southeastern United States to help you recover the maximum compensation for your injuries.