Passing dump truck hits motorcycle

Last week in Ohio, a motorcycle was hit by a dump truck.  The motorcycle had slowed to make a left turn, and instead of slowing for them to complete the turn, the dump truck tried passing them on the left, hitting them as they began their turn.  The driver of the motorcycle was hospitalized and the passenger of the motorcycle was killed in the wreck.

This fatal motorcycle accident underlines the need for car and truck drivers to be careful when changing lanes around motorcycles.  Obviously, passing on the left is normally considered preferable to passing on the right, but the driver of this dump truck clearly did not recognize that these people were going to make a left hand turn, and tried to pass them by pulling into the path of their turn.

This wrongful death accident could have been easily avoided by simply slowing and verifying what the driver of the motorcycle was doing instead of attempting to pass them as quickly as possible.  Motorcycle riders have as much right to a lane as other vehicles.  Unfortunately, these rights are not always respected.