Did you know that a green light does not give a turning truck the right of way over oncoming traffic? On November 6, 2026, the Ocala Star-Banner reported that a semitractor-trailer and a motorcycle collided at State Road 326 and Northwest 44th Avenue in Marion County, near a truck stop. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the semi was westbound and had made a left turn, the motorcycle was traveling east in the outside lane, and authorities said both vehicles had green lights. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating, and no fault finding has been announced. Cases like this turn on who had the duty to yield — and on evidence that can disappear within days.

A Green Light for You Is Not a Green Light to Turn Across Traffic

At many intersections, through traffic and a driver waiting to turn left face a green light at the same time. That green is permissive, not protected, unless a green arrow controls the turn. Under Florida Statute § 316.122, a driver turning left must yield the right of way to a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction that is within the intersection or so close as to constitute an immediate hazard. A motorcycle at highway speed closes distance faster than it appears from a truck cab. Whether the turn was made safely, how far away the motorcycle was when the turn began, and how long the trailer needed to clear the lane are factual questions — which is why an early report that “both had green” is a starting point for investigation, not the end of a case.

A Truck Turn Takes Longer — and That Time Matters

A passenger car can complete a left turn in seconds. A tractor-trailer cannot. The cab turns first, and the trailer follows, sweeping across the oncoming lanes and occupying them far longer. Investigators therefore look beyond the moment of impact: When did the driver begin the turn? What could the driver see of the eastbound lane? How fast was each vehicle traveling, based on electronic data, damage, and video rather than estimates alone? Trucks carry evidence cars do not — telematics data, dash cameras, driver logs, dispatch and inspection files. Nearby businesses may hold surveillance video that is routinely overwritten. Preserving it quickly, in writing, can decide the case.

Motorcycle Riders Do Not Get PIP — Coverage Works Differently

Florida’s no-fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) system covers cars, but motorcycles are excluded from the PIP definition of a motor vehicle. That surprises many riders: there is no automatic $10,000 of PIP after a motorcycle crash, and the 14-day PIP rule does not supply those benefits for a bike. A rider’s recovery generally depends instead on the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage, the trucking company’s commercial policy, any medical payments coverage the rider purchased, health insurance, and the rider’s own uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage if it applies. Get care promptly regardless — a long treatment gap gives insurers an argument the injuries came from something else. Then have every policy checked, including household policies.

Fault Can Be Shared — and More Than 50% Bars Recovery

Insurers in motorcycle cases often raise speed, lane position, or helmet use to shift blame to the rider. Florida follows modified comparative negligence under the 2023 changes in HB 837: your recovery is reduced by your own percentage of fault, and if you are found more than 50% at fault, you are barred from recovering from the other driver at all. Percentages are built from the crash report, signal timing, vehicle data, video, and witnesses — not set by the first adjuster who calls. Stick to observable facts, do not guess about speed or distance, and do not accept a fault split before the truck’s data and video are reviewed.

Deadlines and Next Steps After a Truck-Motorcycle Crash

For negligence claims arising after March 24, 2023, Florida generally gives you two years from the crash date to file a lawsuit, and wrongful death claims carry their own deadlines and rules about who may bring them. Shorter practical clocks matter more at the start: surveillance video is overwritten, trucks are repaired and put back in service, and electronic data can be lost. Keep your helmet and riding gear unrepaired, photograph the motorcycle before it is moved or salvaged, save every bill and record, and do not post about the crash on social media.

Tacher Law helps people injured in truck and motorcycle collisions across Miami-Dade, Broward, and South Florida investigate fault, preserve commercial evidence, and identify every policy that may apply. If you or a family member was hurt in a crash like this, you can request a free consultation to review what happened. Call Tacher Law at +1 (305) 644-2211. No lawyer can guarantee an outcome — but a prompt, careful review can protect the claims Florida law gives you.

Tacher Law, 16445 Collins Avenue, Suite 1625, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160