Police have announced that the
school bus driver who hit and killed a Des Moines motorcyclist while
transporting a bus load of children to school late last month has been issued a
citation in connection with the accident.
Authorities say the accident
occurred just before 7 a.m. at the intersection of East 29th Street
and East Douglas Avenue. The school bus driven by Marylin Pottorff was heading
west on East Douglas Avenue while the motorcycle was heading south on East 29th.
Police say that the school bus had a stop sign at the intersection while the
motorcyclist did not. As a result, the motorcycle rider, 34-year-old Nicholas
Neal, continued on through the intersection where he was struck by the oncoming
bus.
The bus had 20 students on board
at the time who were heading to North High School. Thankfully none of the
students were physically injured in the crash, though counselors have been called in to
speak to students who witnessed the tragic motorcycle accident.
Law enforcement officials say
that Pottorff has been placed on administrative leave and was issued a citation
for failing to yield. An investigation revealed that Pottorff failed to stop at
the stop sign and drove directly into Neal’s path. Neal was unable to stop in
time and was ejected from his motorcycle, ultimately dying at the scene of the
crash. Iowa safety officials say the accident represents the third such motorcycle fatality in Des Moines in the past 30
days, an alarmingly high number that should serve as a reminder to those
driving passenger vehicles to watch out for their fellow motorcyclists.
Though many people understand
that motorcycle riding can be dangerous, few realize just how vulnerable bikers
actually are. According to data gathered by the National Transportation Safety
Board, if a motorcycle rider is involved in an accident, the chance that he or
she will suffer an injury is unbelievably high: 98 percent for those involved
in multiple vehicle crashes.
One reason for such a high risk
of serious injury is that motorcyclists face the ever-present danger of being
thrown from their bike. While it is true that occupants of passenger vehicles
can also be ejected, the risk is dramatically lower given the effectiveness of
seat belts in ensuring that passengers remain inside the car or truck.
Motorcycles obviously lack such restraints and, as a result, riders can find
themselves easily thrown from their bikes into oncoming traffic or onto hard
pavement, something that dramatically increases the severity of any injuries.
Given the clear vulnerability of motorcyclists, it is essential that other Iowa
motorists remain alert while behind the wheel. In this tragic case out of Des
Moines it appears clear that inattention led to a deadly accident for Nicholas
Neal and tragedy for his family. Other drivers should take this tragedy as a
reminder of how important it is to direct all your attention on the road in
front of you. Doing so might save someone’s life. Look twice for bikes and you will save a life.
Source: “Police
cite Des Moines bus driver in fatal crash,” by Regina
Zilbermints, published at Press-Citizen.com.
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