Police said that a New York school bus driver may have some responsibility for the death of a motorcyclist in the western part of the state.
Authorities said that the bus driver appears to have pulled in front of an oncoming motorcyclist while trying to make a left turn at an intersection. The motorcyclist got stuck under the bus. Authorities he died at the scene of the accident.
The accident happened in the evening hours, which, in the late spring and summer are still bright. There were no obvious weather-related issues.
While the driver did submit to a test for drugs and alcohol, police said that they had no evidence of impaired driving. They also said that they did not suspect any particular type of distraction, like a cellular device for example.
People who are turning left frequently just do not pay attention for motorcyclists
However, motorcyclists are hard to spot, and drivers have a tendency not to pay attention when turning left.
In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 40% of deadly motorcycle accidents happen at intersections while a driver is turning left.
Aside from just avoiding distractions, drivers need to make sure that they check and double check the road, including any blind corners, before they turn left. They should also be sure a motorcycle is not approaching from behind as they prepare to turn.
If a driver does see a motorcycle approach, the driver should wait for it to pass even if he or she thinks there is enough time to turn. The speed and distance of a motorcycle can be very hard to judge because motorcycles are so small compared to cars.
Even if they don’t mean to, inattentive drivers can cause serious and even deadly accidents if they turn left in front of a motorcycle. They can be held accountable for the damages they cause.
