Rio Vista Motorcyclist Killed in Crash
I’m Ed Smith, a Rio Vista Car Accident Lawyer. On Saturday, September 16, 2017, a woman from Rio Vista was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident involving one other vehicle.
Accident Information
According to information from the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the collision occurred shortly after 3:00 p.m. on the westbound side of Highway 4 east of the Stallion Way junction. The woman, 62-year-old Crista Haynes, had reportedly been driving a 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle behind two other vehicles.
Officers said that Haynes attempted to pass the vehicles by crossing over the solid double-yellow lines in the road median while driving at a speed of around 70 miles per hour. During this maneuver, Haynes collided head-on with a 2017 Jeep that was traveling in the opposite direction at about 30 to 40 miles per hour. The jeep was reportedly being driven by 77-year-old Cathy Bennington of the city of Danville.
A Fatal Mistake
CHP dispatched emergency personnel to the crash site after receiving news that a motorcyclist may have been seriously injured. Medical officials say that Haynes was found at the scene of the accident with major traumatic injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for emergency care. However, soon after arriving at the hospital, Haynes tragically succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Ms. Haynes during this difficult time.
Investigation
CHP officers have confirmed that illegal passing and excessive speed played a part in this fatal accident. They have also reported that driving under the influence has been ruled out as a causal factor.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on accidents are a particularly dangerous category of vehicle accident, because the full momentum of the vehicle is transferred into the impact of the collision. Frontal crashes involve a massive amount of force and can severely injure those involved.
Traumatic injuries that frontal collisions often cause include chest trauma, facial fractures, head and brain trauma, spinal cord injuries, and more. These injuries tend to be more severe in head-on crashes than in other types of accidents, and injuries sustained in head-on crashes in which one or more vehicles is travelling faster than 40 miles per hour usually cause catastrophic injuries.
Motorcycle Accidents
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that motorcyclists are involved in fatal accidents almost 6 times as often as those in passenger vehicles.
Motorcycles offer riders little protection and, in the event of a collision, riders are often thrown off of their vehicle and left vulnerable in roadways. If you frequently ride motorcycles, it is important to make sure that you are doing everything you can to avoid collisions including wearing bright colors, riding defensively, and paying careful attention to others on the roadway.
More Content from Ed Smith, Rio Vista Car Accident Lawyer
Rio Vista Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Rio Vista Car Accident Lawyer. If you or someone close to you has been hurt in a collision, please call (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can also connect with me online at AutoAccident.com.
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Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons, Motorcycle Accident by Joshua Kimberly. CC BY-SA 4.0
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