Bike/Motorcycle Accident
 

Top headline in today's local paper.

The road in question is 45 MPH speed limit, limited sight lines on most of it due to hills and curves, and is two two lanes has no paved shoulder. It is generally low traffic since a 4 lane road with full bike facilities and 55 MPH speed limit was put in several years ago, which basically replaces Davis Ford as a connector from one end of the county to the other. As a result, Davis Ford is often chosen as a more scenic, more "fun" road to drive.

As a cyclist and motorcyclist, I find it interesting that the cyclist seems to have sustained fewer injuries.

Two hospitalized after motorcycle, bicycle crash


A 14-year-old boy and a 21-year-old man were flown with non-life threatening injuries to Inova Fairfax Hospital Sunday night, following a wreck involving the boy’s bicycle and the man’s motorcycle in the Buckhall area, said Officer Erika Hernandez, Prince William police spokeswoman.

The wreck occurred around 9 p.m. in the 5100 block of Davis Ford Road, Hernandez said.

The 14-year-old boy was riding his bike within a couple of miles from his house in the center of the northbound lane when a 1992 Suzuki GSX-R motorcycle rear-ended him, police said.

Both were knocked off their vehicles, Hernandez said.

The two were flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital and were still being hospitalized Monday. The 14-year-old sustained a minor head injury and the motorcyclist, a Woodbridge man, sustained a broken collarbone and a minor head injury, Hernandez said.

Police said it appears the motorcycle was speeding at the time and the boy did not have all the proper safety equipment for his bike.

Unless the bicyclist is preparing to make a left turn or pass another vehicle, Virginia Code states the bicyclist is required to ride as far to the right of the road as is safely possible, Hernandez said.

Additionally, bicyclist are required to have a front headlight and a rear reflector if in a speed zone of 35 mph and up, and when riding between sunset and sunrise, Virginia Code states.

The roadway the boy was riding on was 45 mph and he had only reflectors on his bike, police said.

He was also was not wearing a helmet, which is required for youth ages 14 and younger, Hernandez said.

It’s possible that both the man and boy could be charged in the wreck, she said, adding that no charges had been placed as of Monday.

Target was moving slower and just got knocked over probably. Arrow tumbled and got hurt. Seems about 50/50 responsibility on this one. No light / excessive speed.

I'd give it 75% fault to the doofus kid riding in the middle of the road. I'd like to know what they mean by the motorcyclist speeding. To me, there's many circumstances where exceeding the speed limit does not necessarily (to me) imply negligence. Of course the law states differently, but if I was on a damages jury, i'd want to know how fast and what the road was actually like.