While many motorcyclists wear the necessary safety gear while out riding their motorcycles — helmets (mandated by New Jersey law), gloves, boots, protective jacket and pants, etc. — they are still extremely vulnerable to serious and even fatal personal injuries in the event of a high-speed motor vehicle accident.

That’s because they simply don’t have the same level of protection as the occupants of passenger vehicles, including seatbelts, airbags and even the protective cage of the vehicle itself. Accordingly, it’s absolutely imperative that motorists always remain watchful for motorcycles at all times of the day and practice safe driving while they are in the vicinity.

Unfortunately, one New Jersey motorist failed to utilize these safe driving practices earlier this month, causing a fatal motorcycle accident that has both police and family members looking for answers.

Police reports indicate that back on September 15, a man was out riding his motorcycle at around 10 p.m. in Union Township, when he was suddenly struck at a high rate of speed by a car pulling out into traffic. The sheer force of the collision sent the motorcyclist flying into the air, causing what turned out to be fatal injuries.

What happens next is truly shocking, as surveillance video shows the driver of the car getting out of their vehicle, walking over to the prone motorcyclist, looking down and then around before returning to their vehicle and speeding away.

While law enforcement officials have yet to formally identify a suspect in the hit-and-run accident, they are carefully reviewing the surveillance footage and even held a checkpoint in the area over the weekend in an attempt to find any potential witnesses.

In the meantime, the friends and family of the deceased motorcyclist, who had a seven-year-old son, are trying to come to grips with what happened.

“He was a beautiful guy,” said a friend. “He was a friendly guy, a responsible guy. He was the best friend I ever had.”

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, hit-and-run accident or other motor vehicle accident, please understand that you have rights and you have options for seeking justice.

Source: CBS New York, “Police search for witnesses to fatal Union, N.J. motorcycle crash,” September 22, 2013