Motor vehicle accidents occur every day. The injuries incurred in some crashes are devastating. At other times, the damage to person and property is minor. When one of the vehicles involved in a crash is a motorcycle, injuries can be especially serious because the motorcycle rider does not have a lot of protection.

A motorcycle accident involving a car occurred in Summit Township last week. The incident between a 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue and a 2010 Harley-Davidson took place where Peachtree Boulevard crosses Route 19.

The 33-year-old woman driving the Oldsmobile was trying to turn onto Downs Drive from Route 19. As she turned, she was on course to hit the 42-year-old man riding the Harley-Davidson. At the time, of the accident he was proceeding through the intersection according to the green light on the traffic signal. To avoid hitting the car, the man let his motorcycle fall to the right. This defensive tactic apparently made it so the seemingly inevitable collision was avoided.

The man on the motorcycle was wearing a helmet and incurred only minor injuries. They were not serious enough for him to need to be transported to the hospital. The woman driving the Oldsmobile was uninjured. She was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident.

The woman from Salamanca reportedly did not see the motorcycle or its rider. This is a common cause of accidents involving motorcycles. Had the motorcycle and car actually collided, it is almost certain that the outcome would have been much worse.

Source: The Post-Journal, "Salamanca Woman Involved In Pa. Accident," Aug. 31, 2011