I have written many times about motorcycle safety. It is such an important topic as this mode of transportation comes with increased risk. A quick search through news stories about motorcycle accidents produces devastating results. I believe it is highly essential that people really understand how deadly these accidents can be. As such, I have compiled a short list of the many fatal collisions produced with such a search.
The first of these stories come out of Fort Worth, Texas. A woman died at the age of 52 in a motorcycle accident on a Sunday afternoon. She reportedly lost control of the bike and was knocked from her seat. She was not wearing a helmet.
The second on the list is straight from Detroit, Michigan. In this case, it was a 22-year-old man who died in a motorcycle-meets-car accident. He was reportedly speeding and that was the leading factor in the accident that claimed his life.
In Long Island, New York, emergency teams were called to the scene of an accident involving an 18-year-old man. He died shortly after the motorcycle accident occurred when he found his heavy bike too much to handle when entering a left turn. He hit a light pole and suffered head injuries that claimed his life.
Finally, my fourth example is from Sioux Falls, SD. A young man and his wife were enjoying a motorcycle ride when a bus turned into their path. Both were knocked from the bike and the man was killed. His wife was rushed to the hospital in serious condition. Neither one was wearing a helmet.
If you believe that the lack of a story out of St. Petersburg means that this area is less prone to these tragic, two-wheeled incidents, you are sorely mistaken. All too often, as a personal injury attorney, I meet with Saint Petersburg families who have suffered the loss of a loved one because of a motorcycle accident. When bikes are too big or too powerful for an inexperienced rider, when other drivers fail to acknowledge the bikers who share the road, or when the need for speed becomes too great, lives are claimed – lives of people you may know and love.
If this still isn’t hitting at the heart of the issue, then allow me to stand aside and let those who know how very devastating these incidents can give their opinions. From Norfolk, England comes yet one more reminder to be safe atop motorcycles. A 38-year-old motorcycle enthusiast was killed when the driver of a car failed to see his bike. The car turned into his lane and the collision claimed the man’s life. His parents decided to release the video, shot via the man’s helmet camera from that fatal day, in an attempt to raise awareness amongst others.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident that is the fault of another driver or due to mechanical failure, speak to a personal injury attorney about your rights. You stand to lose a lot in a collision. You may, at least, be able to recoup some of the financial loss experienced in such situations.