A motorcyclist was hospitalized Friday afternoon after crashing into a van on an Interstate 65 off-ramp in Mobile, according to the Mobile Police Department.
The collision happened on the Airport Boulevard off-ramp along the northbound lanes of I-65, a stretch of interstate that carries heavy commuter and commercial traffic through the heart of the city. Police said the motorcycle and the van collided at the ramp, a merge point where vehicles slow to exit onto Airport Boulevard, one of Mobile’s busiest east-west corridors.
The force of the crash threw the motorcyclist from his bike, according to police. Emergency crews responded to the scene and transported the rider to a nearby hospital for treatment. As of Friday evening, authorities had not released an update on his condition.
Mobile police have not said what led up to the crash or whether any citations have been issued. The department has not identified the motorcyclist or the driver of the van.
Off-ramps like the one where Friday’s crash occurred are common trouble spots for interstate wrecks, since they require faster-moving traffic to slow quickly while merging with cross traffic. Motorcyclists face particular risk in those situations because they have less protection than passengers in a car or van if a collision occurs.
This story will be updated if additional details become available from the Mobile Police Department.