Two Fatal Texas Motorcycle Accidents and What Made Them Happen

Recently, two fatal Texas motorcycle accidents and what made them happen documented two major causes behind motorcycle injuries and fatalities: (1) drivers of enclosed vehicles making a turn who don’t see or make room for smaller motorcycles, and (2) fixed object crashes.

(1) 22-year-old Joseph Madrigal, who had just moved to Conroe, Texas, tragically lost his life there in a fatal motorcycle accident on FM 3083 between Pollock and FM 1484. Mr. Madrigal was westbound behind another vehicle that turned right onto Pollock as a Chevy pickup was turning east onto FM 3083. Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys note that the vehicle ahead of Mr. Madrigal had stopped for heavy traffic before turning. And Steven Garrett started to turn his Chevy pickup, apparently not seeing Joseph Madrigal on his motorcycle behind the other vehicle. Mr. Madrigal tried to evade the impending accident and hit his brakes about 50 feet before striking the front fender of the Chevy truck.

Joseph Madrigal died at the scene of the tragic motorcycle crash. Scott Engle of the Montgomery County Police Reporter (9/12/13) noted that Conroe police had been working at the very intersection of FM 3083 and Pollock that formed the scene of the accident for several weeks because drivers fail to stop at the stop signs there. A portable electric sign has even been placed before the stop sign to warn motorists of their legal duty to stop.

Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys remark that no charges have yet been filed, but the investigation into the accident is ongoing. FM 3083 was closed for about two hours as authorities investigated and cleared the scene. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Joseph Madrigal.

The Houston motorcycle accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) studies of motorcycle crashes have found that at least 40% of motorcycle accidents occur when another vehicle is turning in front of a bike and doesn’t leave room for the oncoming motorcycle. Specifically, in 2011 the IIHS found that 39% of all motorcycle collisions with other vehicles resulted because the larger vehicles were turning left in front of the oncoming bikes and did not leave room for the motorcyclists.

A number of studies have documented the causes for this failure among enclosed vehicle drivers: drivers of larger vehicles tend to keep watch for vehicles their own size or larger and fail to perceive smaller motorcycles, and because the motorcycles are smaller than they are, if they notice them, they perceive them as being farther away than they actually are.

Continue to Part 2 to read about a fatal and bizarre motorcycle crash with a fixed object (a bull).