Motorcyclist Fatality on State Route 160 in Sacramento
A motorcyclist fatality occurred along northbound State Route 160 at Ryde, a community in South Sacramento, on October 11. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) report, the accident happened at the junction with State Route 220 at 2:15 in the afternoon. The motorcycle, being ridden by a 70-year-old man, was involved in a collision with a Ford F-250 pickup driven by a man, aged 34. According to the police report, traffic was stopped in front of the pickup, which the driver didn’t notice until too late.
Driver Strikes Two Motorcycle Riders
The pickup struck two other vehicles before crossing the double-yellow line and hitting the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist, who was riding with a 73-year-old friend, crashed into his friend’s motorcycle, which ejected both of them onto the roadway. The 70-year-old died at the scene of the accident, and the other rider suffered minor injuries but was transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.
The coroner arrived at the crash scene and pronounced the motorcycle rider deceased. The roadway remained shut down for around two hours while an investigation ensued. The CHP is in charge of determining how the collision occurred and to place fault. Police determined that neither drugs nor alcohol played a role in the motorcyclist fatality accident.
Losing a Loved One
Losing a loved one is difficult, and it is even more traumatic when the person’s death was unexpected. Unfortunately, this happens frequently on the roads around Sacramento in car and motorcyclist fatalities. The initial reaction is usually one of shock and disbelief, followed by helplessness and feelings of overwhelming grief. The bereaved often find themselves crying, angry, and unable to sleep. They want justice for the loss of a person not yet ready to die. They also want to know why the person’s death happened. Family members may even feel guilty that they had not told the deceased how much they loved them. There are ways to help yourself and your family heal:
- Understand that there are many emotions associated with a loved one’s death. No two people face a family member’s death in the same way. Allow yourself to go through an array of emotions.
- It takes time to find a new normal. When someone leaves us suddenly, the entire fabric of our lives is disrupted. It is important to establish new routines. For instance, if the person who died was responsible for taking children to school or cooking, make every effort to create a new way of doing things. It is essential for children to have a routine.
- Talk about the way you feel to other family members, friends, and clergy. Telling them the issues you are facing might even help them with theirs. Keeping things bottled up will make it harder to face your loss and move forward.
- Moving forward is a source of guilt for some people. They feel as if they are abandoning their loved one’s memory. That could not be further from the truth. The family member who died would want his or her family to move forward. As with other aspects of grief, this takes time and trying to hurry it may make grief more complicated than need be.
- Don’t give in to irrational fear. Over time, the fears may lessen.
- Remember the good times. One misstep many people take is focusing on the end. Your time together was also filled with many happy moments. It is important to remember the time you spent together before they passed.
Rising Rate of Motorcyclist Fatalities
The number of motorcycle fatalities is climbing. In 2016, about 5.1 percent more bikers were killed in accidents. The number decreased in 2017, however, motorcyclists are 28 times more likely to be killed than people in passenger vehicles. Motorcyclist fatality numbers fluctuate from year to year without a sustained downward trend. It is important for drivers to be alert for motorcyclists who share the road with them. The entire community must find new ways to foster greater safety and use their influence to opt for increased helmet awareness.
How an Attorney Can Help in a Motorcyclist Fatality
Our firm is dedicated to helping those who have lost someone due to another person’s negligence. In each case, we work hard to find the proof of negligence that is needed for the case to proceed. To do this, we send our investigative team to the accident site to gather all clues as to how and why the accident occurred. We interview witnesses, obtain video footage from traffic surveillance cameras and nearby businesses. Our investigators even review police reports for accuracy. Once this data has been accumulated, we send it to our lawyers to build a strong case in our client’s favor.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer. Call me if you have lost someone due to another’s negligence for free and friendly advice. You can reach me at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400. I am also available online.
I have provided compassionate service to residents of Sacramento for more than 37 years. In that time, I have helped them with all varieties of car and motorcycle accidents, traumatic brain injuries, and other types of serious trauma.
I am pleased to say I belong to the following organizations:
If you would like to learn more about my practice, please visit the following pages:
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/photos/condolences-trauerkarte-letters-3991589/
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