California Injury Blog
Armando Vega Andrade, 20, was killed in a Fountain Valley motorcycle accident after he was struck by an SUV that was making a U-turn the night of March 24, 2017. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the SUV was southbound on Brookhurst Street near Heil Avenue when the driver made a U-turn at Heil.
The oncoming motorcycle struck the right side of the SUV. Andrade died at the scene. The SUV’s driver stopped and cooperated with police. No citations or arrests were reported. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fountain Valley police at 714-593-4484.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family members and friends of Armando Vega Andrade for their tragic loss. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2013 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), one person died and 22 were injured as a result of motorcycle accidents in the city of Fountain Valley. In Orange County as a whole, 30 fatalities and 989 injuries were reported due to motorcycle accidents during the same year.
Right-of-Way Issues
Based on this news report, it appears that the driver of the SUV may have made a U-turn at the intersection. Officials are also looking at how fast the motorcyclist was traveling at the time. The law requires motorists to pay attention to oncoming traffic when making left turns or U-turns at intersections.
California Vehicle Code Section 21801 (a) states: “The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or to complete a U-turn upon a highway, or to turn left into public or private property, or an alley, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction which are close enough to constitute a hazard at any time during the turning movement, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to the approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety.”
Liability Issues
In this particular case, if the driver of the SUV is determined to have been at fault, he or she can be held liable for the motorcyclist’s wrongful death. An experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer can also help ascertain whether a dangerous roadway condition caused or contributed to the accident. If that was the case, the city or governmental agency responsible for maintaining the roadway can also be held liable. The law requires that such claims against governmental agencies be filed within 180 days of the incident.