A CHP Officer Was Injured on Highway 180 in Motorcycle Collision
As reported by ABC30 Action News, a California Highway Patrol officer was injured in a motorcycle collision on Highway 180 in Fresno between Clovis Avenue and Peach Avenue. The motorcycle collision resulted in a partial shutdown of the interstate for several hours.
The officer was responding to another collision when the driver of a pickup truck swerved and collided with the officer’s motorcycle. The motorcycle collided with the center median before flipping over into the eastbound lanes of Highway 180 and bursting into flames. The CHP officer was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
Distracted Driving May Have Played a Role in Motorcycle Collision
No charges have been filed at this time against the driver of the pickup truck. It appears that the driver may have been looking at the wreck the officer was responding to when he had to swerve to avoid a collision with traffic. Axel Reyes of the CHP commented, “This is the message we always put out is, pay attention in front of you to the road. That’s where you should be looking. And that’s where things like this occur.”
If distracted driving was to blame, this is another example of a growing concern for all drivers. Distracted driving is one of the most common driving mistakes that cause motor vehicle accidents. It is estimated that 3,179 people were killed and 431,000 people were injured in distracted driving accidents during 2014. Surveys have revealed that drivers are guilty of distractions ranging from texting while driving to eating, grooming, and even changing clothes while driving.
Distracted driving is defined as engaging in any activity that diverts your attention away from the road in front of you and the primary task of driving. In the motorcycle collision above, the distraction may have been another wreck that the officer was responding to at the time of the crash. If this is the case, it is a driving mistake that many of us have made several times.
What is “Rubbernecking”?
Rubbernecking is defined as turning the head to look about or stare with great curiosity.
“Rubbernecking” when you are driving is the act of looking at an event that is occurring outside of the vehicle (i.e. a wreck, construction, a stranded vehicle, etc.). You are distracted by what is going on outside of the vehicle causing you to take your eyes off the road in front of you. It is easy to become distracted and not realize how long your eyes are off the road. When you look back, traffic is now dangerously close causing you to swerve or slam on the brakes. A collision may be unavoidable by the time your attention is back on the road in front of you.
This tragic motorcycle collision is yet another reminder that we need to keep our eyes on the road in front of us and avoid distractions while driving.
Has a Distracted Driving Caused Your Injuries?
If you have been in a motor vehicle accident caused by a distracted driver, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries. Contact the personal injury attorneys of Torem & Associates by calling (888) 500-5000 or using our online contact form to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Fresno car accident attorney.
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