The basic rules of the road apply to all who are on streets and highways. This applies equally to tractor-trailers, SUVs, cars, motorcycles and even bicycles. As most Georgia motorists know, it is important to watch out for those smaller vehicles. A driver may not have been paying adequate attention to one of those smaller vehicles when a recent motorcycle accident occurred.
The Cobb County accident involved at least four vehicles on Interstate 575 just before 1:30 p.m. The victim was a motorcycle rider who was also a police officer from Roswell. It is unclear if the officer was off duty at the time of the accident as he was riding his personal motorcycle. The rider was traveling northbound on Interstate 575 when a Toyota Camry struck him from behind.
According to witnesses, the motorcycle was hit by the Camry and then careened into a Chrysler Sebring in the next lane. At some point, the motorcyclist was believed to have made contact with a Chevy pickup truck as well. The officer suffered serious injuries and had to be transported by helicopter to an area hospital. The current condition of the officer is not known. The highway was closed for hours while the Georgia State Patrol assisted the Cobb County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation and cleanup efforts.
The vulnerability of motorcycle riders is well-documented. The lack of protection in any direction is part of the appeal as well as the danger. The rider in this motorcycle accident may be entitled to file a personal injury claim against the driver of the Camry for damages caused by this accident. Any monetary award may cover not only the possible out-of-pocket medical expenses, but also any loss of income because of rehabilitation from being off work to recuperate from his injuries.
Source: Roswell, GA Patch, UPDATE: Roswell Officer Injured in I-575 Crash, Kristal Dixon, Feb. 28, 2014