A frightening weekend DUI accident in southern Visalia left a motorcyclist with a broken leg and a driver behind bars.
The Visalia Police Department says the collision occurred along Cameron Avenue on Saturday night. According to KSEE-TV, it happened sometime before 11:15 p.m. on June 17, 2023.
Investigators discovered that a 27-year-old woman had been traveling eastbound on Cameron Avenue when she attempted to make a left turn onto West Street. The turn was directly in front of an oncoming motorcyclist who was traveling west on Cameron.
A collision left the rider, a 45-year-old man, with a leg fracture. He was rushed to a local hospital.
Investigators spoke with the woman driving the car involved and arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Maison Law of Visalia also posted details about this crash along with important information on how motorcycle accident victims can protect themselves as they heal.
Motorcycle Accident Hazards on Visalia Roads
Motorcyclists already spend too much time having to steer clear of the many dangerous and careless moves drivers make. But that task becomes extremely hard when a driver is behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Riders travel with little protection other than a helmet and perhaps some sturdy clothing. They can suffer severe injuries when drunk drivers begin making unforeseeable mistakes in the lanes.
Visalia riders already face extreme hazards when traveling local highways and freeways. The Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) collects motorcycle accident data each year. In 2022, they recorded at least 20 motorcycle accidents in Visalia that involved an injury. Those accidents led to at least one tragic death. Those numbers were down just slightly from 2021 figures. In 2021, Visalia saw 23 serious motorcycle accidents and at least three people lost their lives.
These accident rates are way too high for a small city like Visalia. All local drivers should determine to provide motorcyclists with better chances to get home safely. Motorists must check blind spots and mirrors for a sufficient amount of time to be able to spot the riders around them. Drivers must also resolve to never get in the driver’s seat after consuming alcohol or taking a drug. These heartbreaking decisions often put riders and other motorists at risk of life-threatening injuries.
What To Do After a Motorcycle Accident in Visalia…
Victims who have been hurt by a reckless driver’s mistake are encouraged to stay informed of every benefit available to them. These benefits will be important when medical bills start to arrive in the mailbox. Those enormous costs should not be something an injured rider should be worrying over.
A Visalia Motorcyclist Accident Lawyer will go over your options in a free consultation. In cases involving a drunk driver, victims don’t have to wait on the outcome of a criminal trial to file a civil claim. The two cases are separate and motorcyclists can earn support regardless of if criminal proceedings have started or not.
Martin Gasparian is the founder of Maison Law, a California Personal Injury Law Firm. Martin is a graduate of Georgetown University Law School and has been practicing law in California 2004. His practice focuses on helping injury victims know their rights and recover just compensation.
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