A motorcycle carrying a 36-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman slammed into the back of a truck while traveling westbound on Grand River Avenue near Dalby Street just before 8:20 p.m. Thursday, leaving both riders in critical condition. Neither was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, according to police, and the truck driver, a 28-year-old man, was treated for minor injuries.
According to CBS News Detroit, Redford Township Police Department investigators determined that high speed was a factor in the crash. All three people involved are cooperating with the ongoing investigation, and officers are asking anyone with information to contact Traffic Bureau Officer Jacob Vance at 313-387-2561.
What Michigan Law Says About Rear-End Crashes
Under Michigan Compiled Laws 257.402, a driver who strikes the rear of another vehicle traveling in the same direction is legally presumed negligent unless evidence rebuts that presumption, according to Michigan Auto Law. That presumption is reinforced by the state's Basic Speed Law under MCL 257.627(1), which requires drivers to travel at a speed that allows them to stop within the assured clear distance ahead — a violation that carries two points on a driver's license, per Garmo & Kiste PLC.
The riders' decision to go without helmets also raises questions under Michigan's revised helmet statute, MCL 257.658. Riders 21 and older may legally skip a helmet only if the operator has held a motorcycle endorsement for at least two years or completed a safety course, and carries at least $20,000 in first-party medical benefits, the Michigan Legislature's statute notes. Whether the 36-year-old operator met those prerequisites remains an open question for investigators.
Insurance and Fault Questions Ahead
Because the crash involved a truck rather than another motorcycle, the injured riders' medical bills will likely be handled differently than in a typical two-car wreck. Michigan's No-Fault Act, MCL 500.3114, excludes motorcycles from the legal definition of motor vehicles, meaning injured riders in a collision with a truck must generally seek Personal Injury Protection medical benefits first through the truck's auto insurance policy, according to the Sinas Dramis Law Firm.
Fault findings could also shape any future civil claims. Under Michigan's modified comparative fault rule, MCL 600.2959, a crash victim found more than 50% at fault is barred from recovering non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. With police already pointing to high speed as a factor, that threshold could weigh heavily if the case moves toward litigation.
A Corridor With a Recent History of Crashes
Thursday's wreck adds to a string of serious crashes on Redford Township roads this month. Hoodline reported that a Redford e-bike crash left a boy with a brain bleed earlier this month, and a separate police chase wrecked a Detroit man's truck just a day before this latest crash. Statewide, motorcycle-involved crashes actually fell 9%, from 3,187 in 2024 to 2,892 in 2025, while motorcyclist fatalities dropped 10% over the same period, according to data from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.
Even with fewer crashes statewide, the cost of going without a helmet remains steep. An analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that average insurance claim payouts for injured Michigan motorcyclists rose 40% after the state repealed its universal helmet law in 2012, compared with states that kept stricter requirements. Wayne County has also scheduled a resurfacing project along Grand River Avenue between 8 Mile Road and Berg Road starting this month, though it was not immediately clear whether that work extends to the stretch near Dalby Street where Thursday's crash occurred.
The Redford Township Police Department has not released updates on the condition of the two critically injured riders. The investigation remains open, and police continue to ask that anyone with information about the crash reach out to the Traffic Bureau.
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