Thursday, October 3, 2024
Two young male motorcyclists were killed after a pickup truck traveling in the opposite direction pulled in front of them on Beach Boulevard around 7:30 PM Thursday night, October 3, 2024.
The Crash
The two young men were both wearing helmets while driving their motorcycles westbound on Beach just past San Pablo. At the same time, a Nissan Frontier pickup truck was traveling east on Beach.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the pickup then made a left turn in the direct path of the two motorcycles. They crashed into the truck head-on and were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck, a 44-year-old Jacksonville Beach man, suffered serious injuries, while his passenger, a 29-year-old Jacksonville Beach man, sustained critical injuries.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the pickup then made a left turn in the direct path of the two motorcycles. They crashed into the truck head-on and were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck, a 44-year-old Jacksonville Beach man, suffered serious injuries, while his passenger, a 29-year-old Jacksonville Beach man, sustained critical injuries.
What Witnesses Say
The parents of one of the motorcyclists lost another son to a freak motorcycle accident two and a half years ago. The mother described the scene on Thursday night as they were waiting for their son for dinner. She recalls, "We heard a big boom ... and then my husband said 'That’s my son, that’s my son!' My son was just lying there and I screamed and I was panicking ... I was frantic. We were right there when this happened."
She then raised a warning:
"Everybody needs to be aware that there’s riders out there. How are you going to just think there’s no one in front of you? You see someone, you let them pass, and then you make the turn. This should have never happened. Never happened."
But an unverified witness from a nearby parking lot stated on Reddit that he saw the whole thing happen. "The two motorcyclists were easily going 100+ MPH," they wrote. "I’m not sure the driver in the truck was intoxicated or not."
The posted speed limit in that area is 45 MPH.
Another person in the same thread wrote, "I know a guy who rode with the two that passed. They are constantly posting wheelie videos at 100+ and speeding 135+. Hard to avoid objects when you are going at speeds like that."
She then raised a warning:
"Everybody needs to be aware that there’s riders out there. How are you going to just think there’s no one in front of you? You see someone, you let them pass, and then you make the turn. This should have never happened. Never happened."
But an unverified witness from a nearby parking lot stated on Reddit that he saw the whole thing happen. "The two motorcyclists were easily going 100+ MPH," they wrote. "I’m not sure the driver in the truck was intoxicated or not."
The posted speed limit in that area is 45 MPH.
Another person in the same thread wrote, "I know a guy who rode with the two that passed. They are constantly posting wheelie videos at 100+ and speeding 135+. Hard to avoid objects when you are going at speeds like that."
Looking At Both Points of View
While some blame the motorcyclists for speeding and others blame the driver of the pickup truck for not paying attention, we need to consider both points of view.
For Motorcyclists
If you're driving a motorcycle - especially on a crowded road near busy intersections - you need to replace that itch to speed with responsible, defensive driving. Motorcyclists are already at risk, even when traveling the speed limit. Please don't escalate that risk with reckless driving.
For Other Drivers
No matter their speed, drivers need to anticipate motorcyclist behavior. We should take extra precautions to avoid motorcycle collisions when changing lanes, making turns, and pulling out onto the road. In this particular circumstance, if the driver was aware of the two oncoming motorcyclists, he should have waited for them to pass rather than assume he could zoom across three lanes.
For Motorcyclists
If you're driving a motorcycle - especially on a crowded road near busy intersections - you need to replace that itch to speed with responsible, defensive driving. Motorcyclists are already at risk, even when traveling the speed limit. Please don't escalate that risk with reckless driving.
For Other Drivers
No matter their speed, drivers need to anticipate motorcyclist behavior. We should take extra precautions to avoid motorcycle collisions when changing lanes, making turns, and pulling out onto the road. In this particular circumstance, if the driver was aware of the two oncoming motorcyclists, he should have waited for them to pass rather than assume he could zoom across three lanes.
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident, contact a Jacksonville accident attorney at Wilkes & Mee. We will help you find medical treatment, send out our own investigators to the scene fo the crash, gather detailed evidence, build a case, and negotiate with the insurance company to get you the compensation you deserve.