A motor bike rider and a passenger were enjoying a ride in North Las Vegas when their lives came to a tragic, abrupt end. The motorcyclist approached the intersection of Lake Mead Boulevard near Bruce Street and wound up colliding with a car.

The car-motorcycle wreck was so severe that the motor bike rider died at the scene and the passenger suffered very serious injuries, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

This is the third accident this year in North Las Vegas. Coincidentally, all three wrecks have involved motor bike riders.

I want to send my heartfelt condolences to the family of the motor bike rider and I hope the passenger is able to pull through, though their life may never be the same. This was a terrible accident and illustrates the risks associated with riding a motorcycle.

I appreciate the thrill of taking to the road on a motorcycle. It can be truly exhilarating, but your body is exposed and if you wind up involved in a crash with a car, truck, SUV, or even another motorcycle, the damage can be severe.

Both the motor bike rider and the passenger were wearing helmets at the time of the accident, which is a good thing. Again, this crash shows that a helmet sometimes just isn’t enough to prevent a serious injury or loss of life in a major motorcycle accident.