Another serious motorcycle accident injures biker in Niceville

On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Thursday, February 24, 2011.

A 54-year-old DeFuniak Springs man was riding his motorcycle on southbound State Road 285 Wednesday afternoon when another driver pulled out in front of him, violating his right of way. While both drivers tried to avoid the accident, the biker lost control and crashed. The force of the motorcycle accident threw the rider about 50 yards, and he was seriously injured.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident happened at about 1:35 p.m. February 23 about a mile south of Walton County Road 280 on SR 285.

The other driver, a 30-year-old man from Crestview, admitted to police that he did not see the motorcycle. When he realized he had cut the biker off, he sped up to avoid a collision, but it was too late.

Niceville Fire Chief Tommy Mayville told reporters that the motorcyclist was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. According to a Daily News reporter, he remained in serious condition today.

His motorcycle, a 2005 Yamaha, sustained about $2,500 worth of damage, as estimated by the FHP. State Road 285 was closed for about half an hour after the wreck.

Highway Patrol troopers do not believe that alcohol was a factor in the motorcycle accident, but criminal charges are pending against the other driver.

As we mentioned earlier this week after a fatal motorcycle wreck took the life of a Pensacola man and injured four others near Atmore, Alabama, one of the main causes of moped and motorcycle crashes is other drivers violating the right of way of the motorcycle — not seeing the motorcycle before it is too late.

Please take an active role and double-check for motorcycles every time you entering a roadway or turn onto a new one.

Source: Northwest Florida Daily News, “Man remains in serious condition after motorcycle wreck,” Angel McCurdy, February 24, 2011