Two incidents on Connecticut roads in the same day recently served as a harsh reminder that everyone on the road is responsible for motorcycle safety, said Hartford motorcycle accident attorney Joseph Morelli of the Law Offices of Mark E. Salomone & Morelli.
Morelli was referring to two Connecticut incidents involving motorcycles on the second Sunday of April. In one, a motorcyclist was killed in an accident. In the other, two motorcyclists were arrested after reportedly driving recklessly.
"The roads are safest when drivers are aware of motorcycles around them and riders act responsibly," said Morelli. "That's something we all need to remember now that spring is here."
A motorcyclist was killed and his passenger seriously injured on April 9th in a collision with a car at an intersection in West Haven. Further details about the crash have not been released. But Morelli said motorcycle accidents at intersections are common, particularly when the driver of a car doesn't notice a motorcycle and makes a left hand turn directly into its path.
That same day, two motorcyclists were arrested after driving recklessly on Interstate 95 and Route 8. Witnesses said the bikers were passing cars on the right shoulder and center median and were splitting lanes. The men arrested had previously ignored state troopers who signaled them to pull over.
Morelli said the men arrested perpetuate stereotypes about motorcyclists. "Most bikers are responsible and follow the rules of the road," he said. "Incidents like this make it harder for responsible riders to get fair compensation from insurance companies, who tend to believe the stereotypes."
There were 53 motorcyclist fatalities in Connecticut in 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.