In Lake County, 60-year-old Mark Basil from Salem, Wisconsin, died in a crash while riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The collision was between Basil's motorcycle and a Volkswagen Tiguan.
Yesterday, Lake County Sheriff's deputies responded to the crash, which took place at Lake Avenue and Hillcrest Avenue in unincorporated Antioch. Upon their arrival, officers discovered that a motorcycle and vehicle had collided, leaving Mark Basil and the 29-year-old Volkswagen driver with what were initially described as non-life-threatening injuries. According to Fox 32 Chicago, Basil was pronounced dead at the hospital the following day. Preliminary results from the coroner's investigation indicate that he died from blunt force injuries sustained during the crash.
As reported by WGN-TV, Basil's Harley-Davidson motorcycle was heading southbound on Lake Avenue, while the Volkswagen driven by the 29-year-old woman from Antioch was going northbound at the same time. The driver of the Volkswagen made a left turn onto Hillcrest Avenue directly in front of the motorcycle.
Unfortunately, Basil was unable to avoid striking the vehicle, and the force of the impact threw him from his motorcycle. As the crash investigation follows its due course, it's worth briefly acknowledging that motorcyclists are vulnerable road users caught in the midst of vehicles that often provide better protection for their occupants. According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2019, motorcyclists accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities in the United States. While this percentage might appear small, it is worth considering that motorcycles make up a much smaller portion of all road users.
