Drowsy driving, a form of distracted driving, causes 100,000 car accidents each year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there are 40,000 people injured and 1,550 people killed in drowsy driving accidents annually. Driving when you are fatigued puts you, your passengers and other commuters at risk of serious injury and even death. It seems like commonsense to pull over to rest when you are too tired to remain coherent at the wheel. However, the fact is that Utah motorcycle accidents resulting in fatalities have steadily increased over the past ten years due to this form of distracted driving.
Case Study
A motorcycle accident can happen at any time. William Kaplan and his wife’s tragic motorcycle on February 14, 2010 reminds us that a fatal Utah motorcycle accident can happen at any time and under any set of conditions. Mr. Kaplan and his wife were cruising along Highway 17 near Palm Springs California around 1:30 in the sunny afternoon. The driver of a Toyota pickup truck, heading in the opposite direction, dozed off and drifted off the road. After hitting the guardrail the driver was awoken abruptly, he then overcorrected, causing the head-on-motorcycle-collision. Mr. Kaplan was killed instantly and his wife sustained critical injuries. A passenger in the Toyota was also killed in this car verses motorcycle accident.
What makes this catastrophic motorcycle accident even more tragic is the fact that the fatal accident was entirely preventable. Nobody was speeding. There weren’t any road hazards or inclement weather conditions that fateful afternoon. Due to the negligence of a young driver who was drowsily driving, two people have lost their lives in this motorcycle accident.
Drive Focused and Stay Safe
Drowsy driving is considered to be negligent driving behavior in Utah. The skilled Salt Lake City motorcycle accident and injury attorneys urge Utah motorcyclists to drive focused and to stay safe. If you or a loved one has been injured to the negligence of another, don’t hesitate in contacting The Christensen Law Firm, PLLC.