A summer morning motorcycle ride turned deadly for a young man in Virginia Beach, VA. According to city police investigators, the motorcyclist died from injuries sustained after colliding with a box truck that turned into his path.
The fatal truck crash happened in the 1800 block of Virginia Beach Boulevard. This is just east of the I-264 overpass and a short distance west of the intersection with First Colonial Road.
Police have released few details about the crash occurring 11:22 am on June 22, 2022. They did publicly identify the deceased motorcycle rider as 24-year-old Wyatt Mankins, but they did not say whether they intended to file charges.
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We only know a left turn across traffic at a spot without street lights endangered, and ultimately took, the motorcyclist’s life because police told reporters Mankins “hit a box truck that was heading east and in the process of making a left turn.” An ongoing investigation will reveal whether the truck driver acted negligently or recklessly. A finding of fault for the truck driver would make that person or their employer liable for settling wrongful death claims.
State Law Requires Yielding Right of Way When Turning
As noted, the truck driver turning from Virginia Beach Boulevard could not depend on a red light to stop traffic and clear the intersection. Consequently, the truck driver had to comply with section 46.2-825 of the Virginia Code.
The driver of a vehicle, intending to turn left within an intersection or into an alley, private road, or driveway shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction if it is so close as to constitute a hazard. At intersections controlled by traffic lights with separate left-turn signals, any vehicle making a left turn when so indicated by the signal shall have the right-of-way over all other vehicles approaching the intersection.
Sadly, drivers of all types of cars, SUVs and trucks violate this legal duty to yield right of way while turning left. As one result, “Forty two percent of fatal motorcycle crashes that involved another motor vehicle involved a vehicle turning left while the motorcycle was going straight.”
Regardless of what investigators learn about the cause of this motorcycle crash in Virginia Beach, every driver needs to learn the lesson about yielding to motorcycles.
EJL