• January 27, 2023

UPDATE (February 15, 2023): The victim of this accident has been identified as 20-year-old Michael Socop.

Houston, TX — January 26, 2023, a motorcyclist was ejected and fatally injured in a crash on the Southwest Freeway in Houston.

Authorities say the incident happened shortly before 6:00 p.m. on the inbound freeway (U.S. Highway 59) at the West Loop. Preliminary investigation suggests the victim was riding a Kawasaki motorcycle southward in the road's HOV lane when he may have lost control for unknown reasons. Reports indicate the motorcycle made contact with a curb or a concrete barrier and the rider was ejected into the main travel lanes. He suffered fatal injuries in the accident.

The investigation continues. No further information is currently available.

Investigators are still trying to work out the specifics of what happened on the freeway, but even as they keep connecting the dots I'm concerned some people will think they already know the picture that will emerge. I've done this more than long enough to know that even the safest, most prudent motorcyclists can still fall victim to tire blowouts, mechanical issues in their bikes, road hazards, and even—perhaps most of all—other drivers not appropriately sharing the road with them.

Despite all the ways a motorcycle crash can be out of the rider's hands, though, time and again I've seen the knee-jerk response that these wrecks are due to some kind of reckless behavior on the victim's part. The pervasive idea that everyone on two wheels is some kind of daredevil is always a big hurdle to overcome when learning the whole story of an accident like this.

I'm not saying motorcyclists can't make mistakes, and maybe police got things right about what happened in Houston. I just know that sometimes those conclusions are drawn too quickly before other possibilities are duly considered. I hope that won't be an issue here and the victim's loved ones will get some real answers before all is said and done.