Two people riding on a moped were struck by an SUV killing one of the moped riders. The accident happened around 11:30 p.m., Thursday, May 9, 2019, when the moped was traveling down Main Street in Richmond in Madison County and was hit by an SUV near Third Avenue.
Both riders were taken to University of Kentucky Chandler and one of the victims, a 53-year-old man, died there. The other victim survived and was listed in serious condition. Police say it’s currently unknown how the accident happened, but that it’s still under investigation.
Moped Crashes
Mopeds have been around for some years, but recently their use has been on the rise. In part this is because many cities around the U.S. have been pushing, scooters, bikes and mopeds as alternative travel options to fossil fuel motor vehicles. Traditionally mopeds have been driven by a gas engine that could either help you pedal or operate without pedaling, and mopeds go faster than ebikes and scooters.
With the advent of electric mopeds, many commuters are opting to use these to get to work and driver around the city. Unfortunately, with the resurgence of mopeds and the use of electric mopeds, there comes an increase in accidents as well.
While there are no comprehensive study on the number of moped accidents, the Center for Disease Control has commissioned a study that will be looking at the number, severity and causes for a recent increase in ER visits by riders of all of these alternative travel vehicles.
Moped Injuries
The average passenger car weighs around 3,500 lbs, and a commercial truck can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs fully loaded. With this difference in mass, when just about any car or truck hits a moped, it’s not going to go will for the moped riders.
Over the last few years, the ER’s of some of the major cities in the U.S. has seen a pattern in injuries caused by moped, bike and scooter accidents with up to a 1,000 a month increase by some experts’ counts. A rider, even if wearing a helmet, is largely unprotected and because of this, certain injuries have become common:
- Head Injuries: With a helmet, there is some protection, but riders in Kentucky over 21 don’t have to wear a helmet. In an accident, there is typically two impacts, the one with the vehicle and the other with the pavement when the rider is ejected from the bike. This makes the head vulnerable even with a helmet.
- Wrists: Riders hang on to the handle bars of mopeds and often break their wrists in a crash. Other times, a rider will put out their hands in fall to brace themselves and break their wrists.
- Elbows: Over-extended elbows from bracing and falling, and shattered elbows from hitting the elbow on the pavement are also on the rise.
- Road Rash: Mopeds go faster than scooters and some ebikes, so it stands to reason that road rash injuries would be on the rise too.
Contact an Attorney Today
If you’ve been injured on a moped, you should talk to an attorney who knows the traffic and personal injury laws and has experience dealing with insurance companies. Call the attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, for a free consultation and a case evaluation
When you call Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, at 800 937-8443, you will immediately speak to a member of the legal team and not a message machine. You can also Live Chat with an expert who can immediately began helping you with your claim.
