The Tampa Bay Times reports that I-275 was closed after an injury crash that involved two passenger vehicles and critically injured a motorcyclist. The accident happened on Thursday on northbound Interstate 275 just south of 54th Avenue South in St. Petersburg.
At around 9:35 a.m., 58-year-old Diane A. Caraker was traveling north in the center lane of the interstate. When traffic ahead of her slowed, Caraker failed to slow down. Her 2020 Chevrolet Malibu collided with a 2002 Honda motorcycle. The motorcycle operator was only identified as a 56-year-old male.
The motorcycle was propelled forward, where it collided with the rear of a Nissan Rogue. The Nissan was being driven by 35-year-old Holly Marie Neuhengen. Caraker’s and Neuhengen’s vehicles veered to the outside lane, where they collided. All three vehicles came to a stop in the northbound lanes.
The motorcyclist sustained critical injuries. Troopers are still investigating the crash and charges are pending.
Riding a motorcycle can be an exhilarating experience. It can also be one of the most dangerous ways to travel. Motorcycles lack the safety systems, such as airbags and seat belts, that passenger vehicles have. They are also smaller, and therefore, are more easily missed by other motorists. When it comes to the kinds of injuries that are common in motorcycle crashes, leg injuries are the most common. According to the CDC, leg and foot injuries make up 30% of all non-fatal injuries. Head and neck injuries were the second most common, making up 22% of all injuries.