Austin Personal Injury and Car Accident Law Blog

Motorcycle riders are often part of a larger, tight-knit community of like-minded people who may ride together, exchange motorcycle knowledge and generally share their passion for biking. Unfortunately, because of their smaller size relative to other motorized vehicles and the fact the driver is not surrounded by metal, motorcycles perhaps tend to be involved in more collisions than other types of vehicles. Recently, a Texas man was killed in a motorcycle accident, and now his family and friends are wondering if a change in road signs at the intersection at which the crash occurred may have made a difference.

The 19-year-old man was traveling northbound on a road near downtown Fort Worth when, according to a witness, a southbound car made a left turn right in front of him. The other rider that was traveling with him saw the car in time to avoid a collision, but apparently, the 19-year-old did not see it in time. He collided head-on with the vehicle and was thrown off the bike. He died from blunt force trauma before help arrived.

Many Texas residents enjoy getting out on a bicycle from time to time, and some even use this type of vehicle as their main mode of transportation. Most cyclists likely find this activity provides them a relatively inexpensive, healthy alternative to driving a car. However, bicycles on roadways can be vulnerable to larger, motorized vehicles, and if both cyclist and driver are not fully focused, a fatal accident could result. Following a fatal crash that took place almost one year ago, a woman was recently indicted by a grand jury and now faces a manslaughter charge.

The incident happened very early one morning last summer when the 24-year-old woman driving a car struck and killed a man riding a bicycle. Reportedly, when police arrived at the scene, the woman explained she had been returning home from a bar where she said she had one drink. She claimed the cyclist appeared out of nowhere. Investigators believe the driver struck the 18-year-old cyclist from behind. The woman was given a sobriety test, leading police to believe she was driving while intoxicated, and she was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated.

Most Texas drivers realize that if they commit a traffic offense and are being pursued by police, they are wise to stop and accept whatever consequence comes their way. Those who fail to do so tend to simply create more problems for themselves. Such was the case recently in west Houston when one person died in a car accident that happened during a police pursuit.

Early on a recent Sunday evening, a deputy noticed a black car run a red light and pursued the vehicle in an attempt to stop it. The driver did not stop, ran another red light and collided with a white vehicle. Reportedly, authorities found a drug stash and two guns during a search of the suspect's vehicle.

In 1999, a 20-year-old woman was leaving a party with friends when her life changed forever. She and the other occupants of the vehicle in which she was riding were involved in a horrific car accident in Austin. The other occupants did not survive the crash, and the woman suffered severe burns to most of her body.

The Texas crash was the result of an 18-year-old male driver who decided to operate the vehicle intoxicated. Reportedly, he lost control of his vehicle and crossed into the path of the woman's vehicle. The vehicles crashed head-on. The vehicle containing the young woman caught fire resulting in severe injuries to the majority of her body.