Many of us can relate to losing concentration for a moment while driving or riding. This is a moment we have all had on the road in which our eyes move away from the road ahead, or something causes us to end up on the rumble strip for a second. In that second, so much can happen, including a devastating and fatal bike crash. Such motorcycle crashes have happened in and around Atlanta. On a stretch of road across the country in San Diego, a young Marine was riding when he overcorrected seeking to avoid an oncoming vehicle. This move turned fatal, and tragically he lost his life. Riding his Triumph bike, he drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic. Once he overcorrected, he ended up on the shoulder, hit a boulder and was thrown from his bike. He had two young kids and a wife who has lost him way too soon. His riding and military families are in mourning for this father of two and one on the way.
Riders know that overcorrection can be a major hazard for experienced and inexperienced drivers. This is a hazard that riders train for, but once it occurs, it is difficult to get out of the consequences, which in this case were terrible. In his piece in the New York Times several years ago, titled “Motorcycle School, Be Very Afraid,” one author shares the key take aways learned in his riding course. These included common sense advice like do not ride if you are in a hurry; do not ride if you are thinking about something else; never remove your focus from the road in front of you, and; NEVER become overconfident. In short, he concludes, its ok to be afraid, that can keep you safe. It is not easy in this complex world we live in to maintain concentration at all times when riding, but it is so important for rider safety.
Sometimes we are confronted with situations when driving or riding in which we must act quickly. There are also times when an accident happens and although it seems to have one cause, there is a different or contributing cause. Even in a bike accident involving a situation like the one confronted by the young marine, there might be a road condition that contributed to the difficulty in maintaining control of the bike. There could be an entity or contractor that leaves a construction zone in a dangerous condition. Or an agency responsible for maintaining the road that has failed to properly designate the construction zone. Often, the road conditions themselves need to be investigated to make sure there is no other cause for the accident.
In our work as Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers, we have guided many families through the process of dealing with loss. There is nothing more devastating for families and nothing more important in our work — we do what we do to help. That is not just words, it is why we practice personal injury law. If you need legal advice after a motorcycle accident, contact Scholle Law for a free evaluation.
We want the riding community of Atlanta to have a chance to send a contribution to his GoFundMe page which has been established for his widow and children. His name, Justin Dorson. We know the Atlanta and Georgia riding communities will want to know ways to help this young family. The loss of life is always difficult. This Marine’s wife has reminded us to hug our loved ones every day … because this loss is forever.