Motorcyclist Killed in 4-Vehicle Crash on Interstate 4 in Deltona, FL
Deltona, FL — June 21, 2022, a 22-year-old man on a motorcycle died in a four-vehicle collision on Interstate 4 in Volusia County.
According to reports the incident happened around 3:15 a.m. on eastbound I-4 near Saxon Boulevard. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle east in the center lane when he allegedly failed to control his speed. The bike crashed into a boat hitched to a Ram pickup truck. A tractor-trailer and a Hyundai Elantra both also struck the Kawasaki after the initial collision.
The rider was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
The crash remains under investigation. No further information is available at this time.
Commentary on Motorcycle Accident on I-4 in Deltona
One thing I've learned over the years is that motorcyclists involved in accidents tend to get the short end of the stick. Whether they realize it or not, many people harbor certain misconceptions of riders as all being law-breaking daredevils and speed demons. Because of that many people--sometimes even authorities--are much too quick to blame them for crashes.
I'll give an example: A while back a family came to me about a crash because police said their loved one was speeding and weaving through traffic on his motorcycle before hitting a semi-truck. They knew their loved one was a safe rider, so those reports took them by surprise. They also surprised the witness who allegedly "saw" what police said happened.
Apparently, the investigating officer completely misinterpreted the witness's statements. All he said was that the victim passed him on the left, then merged ahead of him. He also told the officer he was traveling below the speed limit at the time, and that the semi-truck turned into the rider's path from a parking lot ahead. We had to get a revised report from police and conduct our own investigations to find real answers for the victim's family.
I'm not saying police botched the Florida investigation or that motorcyclists can't simply make mistakes. All I'm saying is that folks can sometimes fall victim to biases or misunderstandings, which in turn makes them point fingers undeservedly. In reality, these incidents can be quite complex, and finding the whole truth usually goes better if experienced independent investigators are the ones doing the looking. Will that level of care be taken here?
