Two Hurt in Motorcycle Crash on Silverado Trail
A motorcycle crash on the afternoon of Friday, October 29, 2021, on the Silverado Trail in Napa County resulted in the hospitalization of two area residents.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the two-vehicle crash happened northeast of Yountville. A Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle was being driven by a 64-year-old man. The bike also carried a 67-year old female passenger. The Harley was involved in a collision with a 2017 Tesla Model S sedan. The impact took place south of Yountville Cross Road on the Silverado Trail, per a CHP news release.
Details of the Incident
The collision happened at approximately 2:27 p.m. According to the CHP report, the Tesla driver, a 20-year-old female resident of Reno, Nevada, slowed the vehicle in the north lane of Silverado before pulling to a stop on the east shoulder of the road. The motorcycle was approaching the area in the same lane when the Telsa driver pulled the vehicle out from the shoulder with the intention of making a U-turn. In doing so, she failed to yield to the approaching Harley-Davidson.
The rider realized that there was no avoiding the imminent collision and laid the motorcycle down on its left side. Both he and his passenger were thrown from the bike. The Harley continued to slide across the asphalt, ultimately striking the left side of the Tesla, according to authorities.
Condition of the Riders
The male operator of the bike was transported to Providence Queen of the Valley Medical Center. CHP authorities described his injuries as major. His female passenger was taken to the same hospital for treatment of injuries described as moderate.
Failure to Yield to Motorcycles
It is quite possible that the U-turn the Tesla driver was attempting to make was illegal since she was intending to change directions on a highway from the shoulder. Even if the move was not against the law, the fact that she pulled out directly in front of an oncoming motorcycle is an example of extreme negligence that resulted in serious injuries to two people.
We have discussed on our legal blog previously the concept of inattentional blindness with regard to vehicle drivers not seeing motorcycles. The concept is defined as the failure to notice an object that is fully visible, but not expected because the person’s attention was taken up by another event, task, or object. It may be true in this case that the driver was focused on completing the unsafe U-turn and while she may have looked for oncoming passenger vehicles or trucks, she did not register the approaching motorcycle – a smaller, lower-profile object than a car or truck.
Watch the YouTube video. The clip below, posted by the California DMV, discusses safe turning maneuvers.
Did Driver Inexperience Play a Role?
The inexperience of the young driver may have also played a role in this incident. More injury crashes occur involving drivers under the age of 20 than in any other age group. In any event, the injured motorcyclists will be entitled to make a claim for damages against the driver of the Tesla.
Following such an accident, an experienced motorcycle accident attorney can ensure that the riders’ rights are protected and the value of the injury claims is maximized.
Napa Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Hello, and thank you for reading our report on this unfortunate motorcycle crash on the Silverado Trail. I’m Ed Smith, and I am a Napa motorcycle accident attorney. The experienced injury attorneys at our firm have been advocating for injury Napa residents for decades and are happy to answer questions and offer free and friendly legal advice. If you think you may need our help, call us at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400.
To read reviews from our prior clients, please visit the links below.
Photo: by Almani via Unsplash
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