On a clear day in October, our 45-year old client signaled a left turn and slowed to a stop. As an experienced and safety-conscious motorcycle rider, he was wearing full safety gear: gloves, leather jacket, and helmet. He waited for traffic to clear.
At that same time, the driver of a pizza delivery vehicle was traveling in the left lane behind our client. He had a printed map on the seat next to him showing his route. He checked the map and, without even covering the brake with his foot, slammed into our client, propelling him and the bike fifty (50) feet through the air.
The responding Minneapolis Police Officer noted in his report that the delivery driver “was looking down at a map for directions.”
Our client sustained severe and life-changing injuries as a result of the distracted driving on the part of the delivery driver, including fractured vertebrae and a severe pelvic fracture. He hopes to one day walk without a wheelchair or cane.
Distracted Driver Month
April is Distracted Driver Month, and the National Highway Safety Administration kicked it off with an enforcement campaign and TV ads encouraging safe driving. We would like to add our voice to the call for removing distractions. If you need to look at a map, pull over to the side of the road, determine where you need to go and then get back on the road. Never look down when you are driving.
Holding distracted drivers accountable is important to road safety. When we win money for our clients, it is a deterrent that can act to prevent similar bad behavior.
If you or a loved one is hit by a pizza delivery vehicle, you may have a personal injury claim against the driver and the restaurant. This is because employers are responsible for accidents caused by employees.