JUNE 9, 2015
GREER, SC (FOX CAROLINA)
Troopers with the SC Highway Patrol said a 41-year-old
Taylors man was killed in a crash on Highway 101 in Greenville County late
Monday night.
Troopers said a Greer man driving a KIA collided with a
moped just before 11 p.m. near the intersection of North Rutherford Road, about
three miles north of the city of Greer.
The moped rider was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers
said.
The coroner identified the victim as Timothy Kemp of Milford
Church Road.
Coroner Parks Evans said the KIA and the moped were
traveling in opposite directions when the KIA crossed into the oncoming lane
and hit Kemp's moped.
The driver of the KIA was not hurt, troopers said.
The SC Highway Patrol's MAIT team was called out to
reconstruct the crash.
The road was blocked for several hours as the team
investigated and officials worked to clear the wreckage.
Officials cleared the scene around 5:30 a.m.
Scooter and Moped Riders Have Rights Too
Just as the past several years have seen a sharp rise in the number of motorcyclist on the roads, so too has there been a definite increase in the number of scooter and moped riders. While each of these two-wheeled vehicles is distinct in its own unique way, they are all similar in that their riders and passengers are among the most vulnerable individuals on the road.
If a car or pickup truck crashes into a scooter, you can almost certainly guarantee that the scooter rider is going to be very seriously hurt. Since a scooter doesn't have airbags, seat belts or any other such protective devices, there is nothing to stop the scooter rider from being thrown on to the road.
Injuries sustained in a scooter or moped collision are often extremely serious and regularly result in blunt force trauma injuries, brain damage or even death. In most cases, the scooter rider isn't even at fault. Far more often than not, it's the fault of a negligent car or truck driver who failed to watch out for any vehicle smaller than their own. This is - quite simply - not acceptable. If you were not at fault, then you are granted the power by law to make a claim for compensation against the at-fault motorist's insurance provider.
Of course, in addition to your legal rights as a scooter rider, you also have responsibilities as an injury victim. You must make sure that you seek prompt medical attention for your injuries, that you follow all your doctor's orders and never exaggerate the extent of your injuries.
Sustaining injuries in a scooter accident can be an incredibly traumatic experience. Even aside from the physical and emotional pain you've already endured, making a claim can be very stressful.