A 37-year-old motorcyclist identified as Richard Mendoza died in a Seal Beach Caltrans truck accident on the 405 Freeway.

Orange County police officials are saying that the accident took place around 4:45 a.m. on Thursday. Richard Mendoza was riding a motorcycle when that vehicle was involved in a collision with a 2017 Ford F650 Caltrans truck.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. Despite the best efforts of first responders, Richard Mendoza was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Caltrans truck remained at the scene and cooperated with police. A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Motorcyclists are uniquely vulnerable in car accidents. They lack the protection of enclosed vehicles and are more likely to be overlooked. According to the National Safety Council, “Although motorcycles make up only 3% of all registered vehicles and 0.6% of all vehicle miles traveled in the United States, motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities, 18% of all occupant fatalities, and 4% of all occupant injuries in 2020.” There are a number of steps that drivers should take in order to avoid hitting motorcyclists.

• Drivers should maintain a safe distance with motorcyclists and other vehicles.
• Drivers should check their blind spots before making turns.
• Drivers should continuously scan the road ahead of them for hazards.

Every driver has a legal obligation to exercise due care to avoid collisions.

Many collisions are due to drivers that are traveling too fast for the prevailing conditions. Pursuant to California Vehicle Code 22350, the driver of a motor vehicle shall not travel faster than what is reasonable or safe given the prevailing conditions of the roadway. If a truck driver fails to slow down and hits a motorcyclist, this could form the basis of a negligence claim.

Depending on the facts of any case, Caltrans could be liable for a car accident. Companies are typically vicariously liable for the wrongful actions of their employees.

However, those employees must have been working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a Caltrans truck driver may have been working to section off a construction site. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any car accident.

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