In this video (Disclaimer: Some of the video comments are adult in nature.), an accident occurs when the driver of a Volvo sedan attempts to pass a group of motorcyclists on the highway. The Volvo driver does this by leaving the highway and entering the right shoulder to try to pass on the inside. While traveling at a high rate of speed in the shoulder, the Volvo driver loses control of the vehicle, reenters the highway dangerously close to the motorcyclists, crosses both lanes, and crashes in the median.
Luckily, it does not appear as though anyone was injured in this accident, and it is unlikely that any litigation will arise out of the incident. However, it is an example of the challenges that an injured person faces when they try to determine who is at fault in an accident. If the Volvo had struck any of the bikers, there could have been a catastrophic accident. Not just for the one biker who was hit by the Volvo, but by the many that could have been involved in a pileup who were riding farther behind. Any time a passenger car strikes a motorcycle, there is a risk of serious bodily injury and even death.
In this case, there are several traffic laws that were violated. While it is difficult to ascertain the speed of the vehicles, we can assume that the Volvo was traveling at a high rate of speed in an effort to pass on the right. Passing on the right is also usually a traffic violation in and of itself. However, the biggest violation committed by the Volvo driver was their decision to leave the lanes of travel and attempt to drive on the shoulder. This is extremely dangerous, and the Volvo driver was acting negligently when they did this. The decision to leave the pavement and drive at a high rate of speed on the shoulder put the driver and everyone else on the highway at risk.
While this accident is the fault of the Volvo driver, many drivers can understand the rationale behind attempting to pass the motorcyclists. It appears as though the motorcycles were taking up both lanes. In some states, there are laws against traveling for too long in the left lane. Slower vehicles are supposed to travel in the right lane to allow others to pass. We cannot tell from the video what the speed limit was and how fast or how slow the bikers were riding, but it is clear that the Volvo driver was frustrated.
The moral of this story is that no matter how frustrated you may be, you should never make a decision to drive your car negligently. It is not worth the pain and suffering you can cause yourself and other drivers when you cause a serious or fatal accident. If you were hurt by a negligent driver or you have any questions about personal injury law, please call us today at 1-888-WE-MEAN-IT (1-888-936-3264) or email us at: [email protected].
