Motorcyclist Injured in Rear-End Crash on Bulverde Road in San Antonio, TX
San Antonio, TX -- June 14, 2021, a motorcyclist was critically injured in a rear-end collision with another vehicle on Bulverde Road on San Antonio's Far Northeast Side.
Authorities say the incident happened around 9:00 p.m. on Bulverde near Stahl Road. Preliminary investigation suggests the motorcycle was speeding along the roadway when it collided with the rear of another vehicle. The impact ejected the rider, who suffered critical injuries. Emergency crews found him unresponsive and rushed him to an area hospital. His current condition is unknown. No other injuries were reported.
The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.
Commentary on Motorcycle Accident on Bulverde Road in San Antonio
There's not too much information regarding the moments leading up to the collision. Police say the motorcyclist was speeding on the road, but they don't really clarify how how they know that or whether any other factors might have played a part as well.
My main concern here--one that often comes up in motorcycle accidents--is that some folks may be quick to rush to judgment based largely on the victim's choice of vehicle. On learning that a motorcycle was involved many people are quick to decide the rider was speeding or otherwise acting unsafely, due to an unfair belief that riders by default are daredevils who routinely ignore the law. That's far from true; in fact, the majority of motorcyclists are far more careful than some car and truck drivers because they don't have the benefits of seat belts or airbags. Despite that, some folks have a tendency to lay all the blame squarely on their shoulders after accidents like this.
For all anyone knows right now the rider might even really have been speeding. I've seen plenty of incidents where they're actually just passing slower-moving vehicles, which is then recorded in reports as traveling at excessive speeds. Even if the bike was moving fast, though, that alone doesn't explain the crash anyway. Did it hit a pothole? A wet patch? Did its brakes fail? Is it possible the other vehicle abruptly changed lanes into its path? If so, did the driver signal the change? Could either party have been distracted by something else?
Factors like those must be accounted for when evaluating any crash, but they're even more crucial in the event of a motorcycle accident. Why? Because far too often the rider gets a bum deal and is blamed for bad behavior purely for having chosen two wheels over four. It is unjust to blame anyone for something without locating clear proof they are at fault, and this wreck is no different. I only hope for the victim's sake that this investigation is handled appropriately and fairly, with police looking into all the possible variables before reaching any conclusions.
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