Galveston County, TX — November 8, 2025, Fulton Rivers lost his life in a motorcycle versus truck accident just after 2:45 p.m. along State Highway 146.

According to authorities, 67-year-old Fulton Rivers was traveling on a southeast bound Harley-Davidson motorcycle on S.H. 146 in the vicinity northwest of the S.H. 197 intersection when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, an 18-wheeler with a trailer in tow entered the highway from a private drive at an unsafe time, failing to yield the right-of-way to roadway traffic. A collision consequently occurred between the motorcycle and the left side of the 18-wheeler's trailer.

Rivers reportedly sustained fatal injuries due to the wreck. Additional details pertaining to this incident are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When an 18-wheeler pulls onto a state highway from a private drive and a motorcyclist slams into the side of the trailer, there’s a clear legal question at the center of the crash: Did the truck driver have a clear and safe opportunity to enter the roadway, or did they cut off oncoming traffic? Based on the initial report, it appears the truck failed to yield the right-of-way—a critical mistake that left the motorcyclist with no chance to avoid impact.

Trucks entering a highway from a private driveway bear the legal burden of yielding to all oncoming traffic. That includes not only cars and other trucks, but motorcycles—vehicles that are smaller, yes, but no less entitled to use the road. When a trailer is already blocking the lane, there’s very little a motorcyclist can do to avoid a collision. Unlike a car, a motorcycle doesn’t have the benefit of a crumple zone or extra weight to absorb the blow. If the path is blocked, the outcome is often fatal.

What investigators will need to determine is whether the truck driver misjudged the speed of approaching traffic, failed to come to a complete stop, or simply didn’t see the motorcycle. Each of those scenarios points to a different kind of failure—of training, attention, or decision-making. And each is preventable.

The visibility of the motorcycle also comes into play, but that cuts both ways. If the driver says they didn’t see the motorcycle, investigators will want to ask: Was the view obstructed? Was the sun in the driver’s eyes? Or was the driver rushing to enter the highway without properly scanning for smaller vehicles? Those are real-world risks that drivers are supposed to account for, especially when operating a vehicle that requires more time and space to enter a roadway safely.

At this point, all signs point to a preventable error: a large commercial vehicle entering traffic at the wrong time, violating the right-of-way of someone already traveling the highway. That’s not just poor judgment—it’s a failure of one of the most basic duties a truck driver has.

Key Takeaways:

• Truck drivers entering from private drives must yield to all highway traffic, including motorcycles.
• A collision with the side of the trailer suggests the motorcycle had the right-of-way and no time to stop.
• Investigators should examine whether the truck driver had an unobstructed view and followed proper procedures before entering the road.
• The central legal issue is whether the trucker made a safe and lawful decision to enter the highway—and the evidence will show whether that duty was met.