Two motorcycle riders traveling in the left lane of I-64 in New Kent County, Virginia (VA), east of Richmond were injured when a tractor-trailer drifted over from the right lane and into their path, forcing them off the road. One of the motorcyclists sustained serious, but not life-threatening, injuries and had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital. The other biker required medical treatment for minor injuries.
View a larger map of where a tractor-trailer drifted into the path of two motorcycle riders, causing them to run off I-64 an suffer injuries.
Police charged the at-fault commercial truck driver with failing to maintain his lane of travel and informed WTVR CBS 6 that both men on the motorcycles were wearing helmets. Taking that essential safety precaution may have saved one of the riders’ lives, as he was thrown from his bike when he ran onto the grassy median.
As Virginia personal injury attorneys who represent many victims of crashes caused by truckers and even more motorcycle riders injured when drivers act negligently, we know that tractor-trailers pose particular dangers for riders. Bikes can be difficult to see for all driver, but truck drivers have huge blind spots that extend well to the rear of their big rigs. When truckers fail to watch for motorcycles and exercise the utmost caution before changing lanes or turning — or worse, allow their trucks to drift — accidents are almost guaranteed.
We wish the motorcyclists speedy and full recoveries.
EJL