Two People Seriously Injured in Recent Kalihi Motorcycle Accident

A motorcycle and car collided July 8 in Kalihi, resulting in the 30-year-old motorcyclist suffering critical injuries. His passenger, a 24-year-old woman, also sustained serious injuries in the crash.

The police immediately closed the Ewa-bound lanes of the boulevard to allow traffic division officers to examine the scene. They found that the motorcycle, which was traveling west on Dillingham Boulevard, struck an oncoming plumbing truck when it turned left onto Kohou Street. Although the extent of the victims’ injuries is not fully known, they were both taken to the hospital. Police reported that they were not wearing helmets and that speed may have been a factor in the collision.

Accidents like this happen all the time and can be attributed to a variety of factors that increase the danger of driving a motorcycle. Motorcycle accidents are frequently caused by cars making a left turn and striking a motorcycle as it travels through the intersection. And while cars rarely strike the rear of a motorcycle, head-on collisions are also quite common, accounting for more than half of motorcycle fatalities.

The relatively small size of motorcycles is also a primary factor in many collisions. Drivers of cars often fail to look out for motorcycles. On the flipside, motorcyclists often attempt to pass cars in the same lane, which car drivers do not anticipate. Called lane splitting, this maneuver is permissible in some states, but not in Hawaii.

However, regarding left-turn collisions like the one in Kalihi, the fault almost always lies with the turning driver. If you’ve been involved in a serious motorcycle crash in Hawaii, consult a skilled Honolulu accident lawyer right away.