Los Angeles Injury Attorney Blog

A 24-year-old Torrance man was tragically killed Tuesday afternoon in a car vs. motorcycle accident in Torrance, the Daily Breeze and Los Angeles Times reported. The victim, Lawrence Tom Brennan, 24, of Terrance, died at the scene of the accident at the intersection of Anza Avenue and Emerald Avenue. Lawrence Brennan, who went by Larry, had been riding north on Anza Avenue at about 1:40 p.m. on December 7, 2010, when the driver of a sedan travelling southbound on Anza turned left onto Emerald Street and into the path of Brennan's motorcycle. A boy in the vehicle that struck Brennan was critically injured.

Motorcycle Accident Injury and Death Statistics

In 2008, the CHP reported 537 motorcycle fatalities and 11,390 injuries in motorcycle collisions in California. Los Angeles County accounted for 114 fatalities (more than any other county) and 2,934 injuries (also more than any other county in California). More statistics can be found in the 2008 Annual Report of Fatal and Injury Motor Vehicle Traffic Collisions on the CHP website.

Cause of this December 7th Torrance Motorcycle Accident

The cause of this accident remains under investigation. Torrance Police will look at the speed of both vehicles, the timing of the intersection traffic signals, and other factors in determining who was responsible for this devastating accident that left one man dead and a boy critically injured. Based on the news reports, it appears that the driver of the car could be responsible, if she failed to yield to the right of way of the motorcyclist.

California Vehicle Code Section 21801 - Left Turn or U Turn

Under California Vehicle Code Section 21801: "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."

Motorcycle Accident Wrongful Death Liability

If investigators make the determination that this accident was caused by the driver of the vehicle, the family members of the deceased victim may consider pursuing a wrongful death claim for their loss. In situations such as this one, or any fatal motorcycle accident involving a driver making a left turn, it would certainly be advisable for the victim's family to speak with a Los Angeles motorcycle accident lawyer about the accident and their legal rights, options, and responsibilities. An experienced attorney can also look into other similar accidents at the same location, and investigate whether the design of the roadway or intersection could also have been a factor in the accident, in which case, the city or other government agency responsible for designing and maintaining the intersection could be liable.