On a motorcycle, you are always vulnerable to other drivers. Lacking any of the basic safety protections and the physical mass of a car or truck, motorcycle riders must count on the awareness of other drivers to prevent crashes and collisions.
Motorcyclists are always told to not only watch out for other drivers but to make eye contact with the driver of other vehicles to be certain that those drivers see them and act accordingly.
However, as a rider, you cannot watch out for every driver in every situation. Especially when they run a stop sign as you pass through an intersection. Sadly, two motorcycle riders were sent to the hospital after an intoxicated driver of a pickup truck crashed into them south of Indianapolis. The driver was found to have a blood-alcohol level almost five times the legal limit in Indiana.
The force of the collision sent the driver of the motorcycle into the bed of the pickup truck and his passenger was thrown from the bike. The man was severely injured and required a helicopter to airlift him to the hospital and his wife went to Columbia Regional Hospital, but her injuries were determined to be serious enough to require that she, too, be flown to Methodist Hospital.
The news report does not list the injuries the couple suffered, but if they survived, they will likely face a long road to recovery. Injuries that frequently occur in this type of motorcycle cars include traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries or permanently damaged arms or legs.
The pickup driver did not have permission to drive the truck at the time, and this could complicate insurance coverage matters. The injured couple may need legal assistance with their claims, as they may need significant and life-long medical care and treatment to cope with their injuries.
Source: browncountyindiana.com, " Truck hits motorcycle; driver arrested on OWI charges ," September 28, 2015