SAN ANTONIO — It's a heartbreaking trend that's reported too often in San Antonio this year.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reports motorcycle deaths are on the rise statewide, up 7% from 2022 to 2023. Of those cases, deadly crashes in intersections skyrocketed by 21%.
30-year-old Justin Lopez died while riding his motorcycle last Sunday as a woman was pulling out of an intersection in front of a northwest side HEB.
Now, thanks to a collaboration between local advocates and the Bexar County Judge's office, efforts are underway to promote motorcycle safety.
"He loved it so much. The joy on his face after he rode it was like a kid in a candy shop," said Justin Lopez's wife, Angelica.
Angelica met her husband Justin a few years after she graduated from Marshall High School.
"He was my bestie for the restie," she told us.
Justin and Angelica had no idea they went to the same high school at the same time.
"He was so funny. He was the funniest person I've ever met. I thought I was funny, but he was funnier than I was, and that's what instantly just attracted me to him. He had this smile on him that nobody can ever top. That's what made me fall in love with him," Angelica explained.
Justin was new to riding. Angelica says it's something he always wanted to do.
"He was really big on cars. Then one of his good friends actually gifted him his first motorcycle," she said.
June 23, Justin was riding his motorcycle down Babcock Road, approaching Huebner. That's when San Antonio Police say a woman who was driving out of the HEB hit him.
Justin died from his injuries. He had just celebrated his 30th birthday.
SAPD says the driver won't face charges.
"I just couldn't believe it," said Angelica. "I cried. I screamed. It was really hard because I just talked to him."
TxDOT says nearly 600 people riding motorcycles were killed in crashes in Texas last year, and more than 2,400 riders were seriously injured.
"2024 has been a bad year for motorcyclists," said Flash Lucich, the Independent Representative for the Texas Council of Clubs and Independent Riders for Region 7.
Lucich has had a few close calls himself.
"I do post videos of my close encounters on on the freeways," said Lucich. "That helps a lot because I like to put a little safety break every Friday."
Wednesday, Lucich met with representatives from Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai's office.
"See if we could bring awareness to some of the issues that concern motorcycles, like motorcycle safety, promoting a better image of motorcyclists," Lucich explained. "We're not all speeding. We're not all daredevils."
With the help of the judge's office, Lucich is now in talks with local construction companies to help make construction zones safer for all drivers.
"There was a week there that we had 17 riders go down in one week because of construction," he said, also interviewing with KENS 5 for that story in May.
Now, Lucich says he's in the process of developing a proclamation with the judge's office for motorcycle safety awareness.
The next steps will be to begin similar conversations with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office and the San Antonio Police Department, Lucich added.
Angelica joins the advocacy for safety, encouraging others to look twice for a motorcycle because there's a life riding on it.
"Justin wasn't just some person on a bike. He he had a family."
Justin's family is raising money for his funeral expenses and to support his four children. Click here to make a donation to their GoFundMe page.
To help prevent crashes, TxDOT shared the following safety tips during May's Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month:
- Check yourself. Always remind yourself to keep an eye out for any motorcycles nearby. This will help your eyes and brain notice motorcycles on the road.
- Look twice. Use turn signals and check blind spots before changing lanes.
- Turning left? Avoid turning in front of an oncoming motorcycle. It can be hard to judge their speed and distance, so let them pass first and always use your turn signal to alert them.
- Pay special attention at intersections. More than a third of all motorcycle fatalities happen at roadway intersections.
- Make some space. Keep a safe following distance. Motorcyclists can reduce their speed by downshifting, which doesn’t activate the brake light. Treat motorcycles like cars by giving them a full lane when driving or passing.
- Slow down. Obey posted speed limits and drive according to conditions.
- Stay alert. Give driving your full attention. Even a momentary distraction can have deadly consequences.