This time of year most would expect to hear about an accident involving a snow plow before a motorcycle. While not nearly as common in the middle of February, crashes involving the two wheeled vehicle do occur in the Pittsburgh area, year round. This past weekend, a man riding his motorcycle died after being involved in a collision with another vehicle.

The 30-year-old was reportedly struck by a minivan as it turned onto the road the motorcycle was travelling. The incident occurred shortly before 7:00 pm.

The man who was riding the motorcycle apparently did not succumb to his injuries immediately. He was taken to an area hospital where he died around an hour after the incident. It does not appear that anyone else was hurt in the crash.

It is not clear what caused the collision to occur. As is often the case in motorcycle accidents it is possible that the driver of the minivan did not see the much smaller motorcycle, particularly since they are not a common sight on roads this time of year. Not expecting to see motorcyclists on the road, along with the fact that it was dark at the time of the incident could have contributed to it happening as well.

At this point there is no word on whether the driver of the van will face criminal charges. That determination likely depends on the results of an investigation that is almost certainly being conducted. Regardless of that determination it is possible that a civil wrongful death lawsuit could be filed.

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Motorcyclist killed in crash with van in O'Hara," Feb. 10, 2013