Motorcyclists have virtually no protection or structural defense against larger vehicles. These dangers are even further compounded when the driver of the other vehicle is elderly and suffers physical limitations.
A fatal collision September 2013 crash in New Haven illustrates these statistics. A 90-year-old woman from Bethany was charged with negligent homicide for the death of a motorcyclist in this crash. New Haven police claim that she was driving eastbound on Fountain Street/Route 243. She cut off the motorcyclist who was traveling in the opposite direction when she turned onto Seneca Road.
The 34-year-old motorcyclist, a father of three children from New Haven, was transported to the Yale-New Haven emergency room and underwent surgery. Although he was initially stabilized, doctors could not top his bleeding and he died at the hospital.
Police charged the driver with negligent homicide and making an improper turn. The victim’s mother, however, objected that the misdemeanor charges were too lenient and did not include a felony offense for this fatal accident. She argued that the driver should not have been driving on the day of this crash.
Families of a relative killed in a fatal car crash may have the right to file a wrongful death action for the loss of a loved one. This civil action can help families recover compensation for the loss that they have suffered as a result of another person’s negligent behavior. This compensation can include medical expenses, funeral costs, lost wages and pain and suffering. This money cannot help the family to emotionally heal, but it can ensure that financial problems do not worsen the loss they have suffered.
Source: NBC Connecticut, “Mother of crash victim wants harsher penalty for 90-year-old driver,” Ari Mason, Feb. 26, 2014
