Motorcyclist brakes hard to avoid collision but still crashes

Written by Jeff Richards
June 24, 2020
Scene of a motorcycle crash at 1045 N. Main St., Cedar City, Utah, June 23, 2020 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — A motorcycle rider was injured Tuesday morning after police say he braked suddenly to avoid a vehicle that had turned in front of him.

The incident, which occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. at 1045 N. Main St. in Cedar City, involved a black Yahama YZF-R1 motorcycle and a gray Dodge pickup truck pulling an enclosed trailer.

Cedar City Police Sgt. Tim Bonzo told Cedar City News that the pickup, which had been heading north on Main, was making a left turn into the Family Dollar parking lot when the incident occurred.

“They turned in front of the motorcycle that was southbound on Main,” Bonzo said at the scene, adding that the motorcyclist locked his brakes in an attempt to avoid hitting the truck and trailer.

“They were able to get out of the road, and he actually was able to avoid hitting them, but he wrecked in the process,” Bonzo added.

Responders move damaged motorcycle off the roadway at the scene of a crash at 1045 N. Main St., Cedar City, Utah, June 23, 2020 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was transported by ambulance to Cedar City Hospital for treatment of injuries that were not believed to be life threatening. His bike sustained moderate front-end damage, particularly around the handlebars and headlight area. Responders were able to wheel it out of the roadway and into the adjacent parking lot.

Neither the Dodge pickup nor its trailer were damaged in the incident, and the vehicle’s occupants were not injured.

However, Bonzo said, the pickup driver would likely be issued a citation for improper turn / failure to yield, which is not only a common driving infraction but also a leading cause of motorcycle accidents involving other vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately one-third of automobile-motorcycle crashes are caused by motorists turning into the path of a motorcycle.

Southbound traffic on Main Street in the area was impacted for about 15-20 minutes while responders worked to clear the scene.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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