A man and his passenger were traveling across a bridge in Tampa on a motorcycle when tragedy struck. As the man was trying to change lanes, he collided with another man on a scooter. Both people riding the motorcycle were thrown off the bike.
In the wake of the crash, the 54-year-old man on the scooter was pronounced dead even before he was brought to a hospital. The motorcycle’s occupants, on the other hand, were rushed to a hospital for treatment, but only the passenger survived. At the time of reports, she was still in critical condition and placed on life support. The severity of the crash could lead to one or more wrongful death claims in civil court.
There are a number of factors that could have played into this accident, but reports didn’t make it clear which of the two motorists were deemed to be at fault. However, police have released some details of the cursory investigation. Namely, the motorcyclist was reportedly traveling at a high rate of speed, even though the posted limit on the bridge is 55 mph. Despite this revelation, the biker’s daughter said he was always safe on the road.
To further complicate the matter, the scooter’s driver didn’t have a valid license to operate the motor vehicle. This could mean that he didn’t have the proper training or skills to ride the scooter safely.
As more details about the crash emerge, victims and relatives could benefit from understanding their rights and responsibilities. Even though both drivers passed away, it could be possible to pursue wrongful death claims against either of their estates, depending on who is deemed to be responsible.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, “Two dead in motorcycle, scooter crash in Tampa,” Laura C. Morel, April 29, 2013
