Last weekend marked the beginning of the busy summer travel season. The arrival of summer travel season means uncomfortably high gas prices and increased congestion on Ohio roads and highways. Unfortunately, the increased amount of vehicles on the highways led to several motor vehicle accidents around the state.

While there were many accidents around the state over the weekend, including a four-vehicle crash on U.S. 50, one of the most serious accidents happened Sunday afternoon on Ohio 180.

Authorities are investigating a Jeep versus motorcycle accident that claimed the life of a motorcyclist and sent three occupants of the Jeep to the hospital over the weekend. The accident happened on Ohio 180 when the motorcycle reportedly crossed the center line of the highway and had a head-on collision with the Jeep.

At approximately 3:50 p.m., the Honda CBR motorcycle hit the 2008 Jeep Sahara driven by a woman with two child passengers. The motorcyclist sustained serious injuries and was found unconscious at the scene of the accident. His injuries included a broken arm, a broken leg, and what was described as severe trauma. He was rushed to Ohio State University Medical Center, but he died of his injuries later that evening.

All of the people in the Jeep were treated for minor injuries at Adena Regional Medical Center. They were later released from the hospital.

As this tragic story illustrates, when a motorcycle collides with a passenger vehicle, the motorcyclist often takes the brunt of the damage. Lacking the armored protection of an automobile, motorcyclists are exposed to very serious injuries, even when others involved in the accident sustain only minor injuries.

Source: Chillicothe Gazette, "Motorcyclist killed; driver hurt during Memorial Day weekend," 5/31/2011