Motorcycle Accident on I-80 Delays Morning Traffic Westbound
I’m Ed Smith, a Berkeley motorcycle accident lawyer. A motorcycle accident on September 6 caused delays as commuters navigated Interstate 80 in the early morning hours. The motorcyclist suffered injuries in the crash.
Details of the Accident
Westbound I-80 near the exit for El Portal Drive was the site of the accident that involved several vehicles as well as a motorcycle. The accident occurred at 6:00 a.m., and a Sig-Alert was issued by the California Highway Patrol at 6:15.
The nature of the crash and the identity of those involved have yet to be released. At the time of this report, it is known that the motorcyclist was found in the high-occupancy vehicle lane, and the biker’s injuries were described as serious. From early reports issued by the CHP, several vehicles are known to have been involved, but further details are unavailable.
Motorcycle Crash Incidence
The incidence of California motorcycle fatal crashes in 2015 statewide was 476, which was 14 percent of the total. In Berkeley, 39 motorcyclists were injured or killed in 2014. This ranks Berkeley as 12th out of 57 selected California cities. In Alameda County, as noted by the California Office of Traffic Safety, there were 535 motorcyclists killed or injured, making the county 17th out of 58 other state counties.
In Alameda County, 2,246 crashes occurred with an OTS rank of 12/58. Of these, 892 accidents occurred in the hours between 9:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. Alameda ranks number one for hit and run accidents with a rank of 1/58.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported that 1,500 individuals die each year in a hit and run accident nationwide. The crashes occur on the weekend in 47 percent of the cases, and over half of those killed are pedestrians.
Hit and Run on the Highway
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the trend in hit and run accidents has escalated in recent years even as the number of fatalities has fallen. In many instances, drinking and driving is a major causative factor. An expert in the field points out that drivers are more likely to flee an accident site when they know that remaining would expose them as driving under the influence, driving without a license or driving recklessly.
A California legislator, who sponsored a bill extending the statute of limitation for such accidents, believes that fleeing after an accident is related to the person’s value system. Today, the time period in which a case must be filled for hit and run accidents is six years.
Fleeing the Scene
Fleeing the scene of an accident in California is punishable under California vehicle code 20001 and 20002 as either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the gravity of the damage to others. A misdemeanor under these regulations can result in jail time between 90 days and one year and a fine between $1,000 and $10,000. A felony can result in up to four years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000.
On a civil level, it is possible that leaving the scene can constitute imparting emotional distress on another. Fleeing is unlawful even if the person who leaves was not at fault in the accident. In addition, if fleeing the accident after injuring another was done in an intentional manner, the plaintiff attorney may ask that punitive damages be assessed.
Berkeley Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Berkeley motorcycle accident lawyer. If a family member has died due to the negligent actions of another or you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, call me at (510) 631-0200. If you are outside the area, feel free to reach me on my toll-free line at (800) 404-5400. I am available to provide my friendly and free advice.
I’ve served Northern Californians, including those in the Berkeley area, for more than 35 years as an injury lawyer. I continue to help clients with traumatic injuries or families with wrongful death cases, so they obtain the just compensation they deserve.
Knowledge of an attorney’s practice is important to have before you hire them, and my reviews can be found at Avvo, Google and Yelp. Besides reading comments by my clients and my peers, you can visit my Verdicts and Settlements page to see how I resolved previous cases.
I’m a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. This group is a forum of trial lawyers nationwide who have won a minimum of $1 million in settlements or verdicts for clients.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/jam-city-highway-stop-and-go-2500844/
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