Think About Motorcycles and Look Twice

Motorcycle Rider

The lovely spring weather encourages those who have motorcycles to hit the road. You may be thinking that, as a motorist in a passenger vehicle, the matter does not much concern you, but you’d be wrong. Just one brief moment of inattention or not checking before you change lanes could be fatal to the person operating a motorcycle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in an issue statement, had this to say: “When motorcycles and other vehicles collide, it is usually the other (non-motorcycle) driver who violates the motorcyclist’s right of way. There is a continuing need to help other motorists ‘think’ motorcycles and to educate motorcyclists to be aware of this problem.” May is Motorcycle Safety Month—and Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration (MDMVA) reminds you that you can help save a life by keeping motorcycles uppermost in your mind and checking twice before you change position in traffic. The Numbers Don’t Lie Motorcycle deaths are on the rise. In 2015, 4,976 persons died in crashes, up 8.3 percent from 2014. The age of the average cyclist in a wreck has increased as well: it’s gone from 39 in 2006 to 42 in 2015. Injuries from motorcycle crashes were roughly[…..]

Government Report Reveals High Costs of Motorcycle Accidents

As reported by Fox News Latino, a new government report issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows that the direct costs of motorcycle accident-related injuries and deaths totaled $16 billion in 2010. However, the full cost is likely higher because long term medical expenses are more difficult to calculate. The GAO report states that motorcyclists are involved in fatal crashes at higher rates than drivers of other motor vehicles and alarmingly are 30 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than passenger car occupants. The GAO report states that there were 82,000 injuries and 4,502 fatalities that occurred during 2010. The average cost of a fatal motorcycle collision was estimated at $1.2 million, while the cost of injuries ranged from $2,500 to $1.4 million depending on the severity. The government report, published in a November report for congressional committees, also says laws requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets, or universal helmet laws, are the only strategy proven effective in reducing injuries and fatalities. Several research studies have estimated that helmets reduce the risk of death by as much as 39 percent, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that helmets saved the lives of 1,550 riders[…..]