According to the Seattle Times, two Washington State Patrol motorcycle officers were injured following a motorcycle accident that occurred Saturday morning. The report states that the two officers were traveling along a roadway when a 72-year-old woman attempted to make a left-hand turn and the two officers collided with her vehicle.
Continue Reading...The Winona Daily News in Wisconsin has reported that a woman was injured after colliding with an oncoming vehicle on Thursday. Paramedics at the scene of the accident treated 45-year-old Tammy Getter for lacerations to the face and later released her. According to the report, 23-year-old William Christensen was driving a Ford Focus and was attempting to pass another vehicle in the fog when he struck Getter’s motorcycle.
Continue Reading...According to a report from the News and Sentinel website in West Virginia, a 66-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle-car accident that occurred on Saturday afternoon. Roy Hearn was declared dead at the scene of the accident. In a separate incident, Hearn’s son and daughter-in-law were injured when their own motorcycles also crashed.
Continue Reading...According to NBC affiliate KDLT; a Missouri man was killed following a motorcycle accident that occurred in Hartford, MO. The driver reportedly didn’t notice a semi truck in front of him that had slowed down due to construction on the roadway.
Continue Reading...According to a report posted on Rochester, NY’s WHEC.com, a 20-year-old man was killed following a motorcycle accident on Thursday. The report states Justin Melia lost control of his motorcycle and hit a guardrail along the side of the road and he was then thrown from his bike.
Continue Reading...Myfox8.com in North Carolina has posted a news story about a man that was killed in a motorcycle accident in Winston-Salem, NC Wednesday morning. 51-year-old Ricky Neal Myers was driving a 1999 Harley Davidson bike when it ran off the road at an intersection and moved through a grassy median.
Continue Reading...The website Indiananewscenter.com is reporting that a previously unidentified motorcycle crash victim has now been identified. 46-year-old Walter W. Wurmel Jr. was killed in a motorcycle accident that occurred Saturday morning. According to the report, Wurmel was riding a 2000 Harley Davidson motorcycle and he suffered blunt force injuries in the accident which were a direct cause of death.
Continue Reading...CBS affiliate actionnews3.com has reported that a motorcycle accident in Blair, NE has left two people dead. The report states that local investigators are trying to figure out what caused the accident that occurred Saturday evening. The motorcycle was reportedly heading eastbound when it veered off the road and struck a traffic sign on the side of the road.
Continue Reading...The News 7 website in Oklahoma has reported that a 12-year-old boy was killed in a motorcycle accident while he was riding on private property. 12-year-old Randy Catron was killed on Monday after he failed to yield to oncoming traffic before entering the county roadways. 20-year-old Jennifer Pack was driving her vehicle when she hit the motorcycle.
Continue Reading...According to Baltimore NBC affiliate WBAL, a 44-year-old man was killed after his motorcycle struck a light pole when the driver was attempting to avoid hitting another man riding a dirt bike. 44-year-old Alphonso Gaye swerved in his motorcycle in order to avoid the dirt bike rider and subsequently struck a light pole. Gaye died from the injuries he sustained in the accident. The rider of the dirt bike fled the scene of the accident, the report states.
Continue Reading...According to the website newswest9.com, an Odessa man was killed following a serious automobile accident that ejected him from the motorcycle he was riding. The report states that the man was driving along an eastbound lane when an SUV crossed in his path. The driver of the SUV reportedly ignored a stop sign which caused the wreck.
Continue Reading...An accident and explosion that occurred on City Island Bridge in the Bronx, NY after a motorcycle collided with an SUV. Yournabe.com reports that the incident occurred late Sunday night when the driver of a three-wheeled motorcycle lost control of the bike and swerved into oncoming traffic. The rider, 37-year-old Richard Perez was hit head on by an Isuzu SUV.
Continue Reading...The website registercitizen.com reports that a Torrington man is listed in critical condition after suffering severe injuries resulting from a serious motorcycle accident this past Friday. 43-year-old Christopher Sayles was originally reported to have improved from critical condition to stable condition, however, the report states that it was an error on the hospital’s part and Sayles is still listed in critical condition following the accident.
Continue Reading...WTHITV.com from Terre Haute, IN has posted a report regarding a man that was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident. According to the report, 61-year-old John Beaty was reported missing on Sunday after he had not returned home. Local deputy officers reported that Beaty’s body and his motorcycle were discovered Monday morning when somebody was driving by and found the body in a creek at the side of the road. There is currently no information on what caused the accident, however, investigators continue to try and determine the cause at this time. Police do not believe high speed driving was a factor in this accident. The report states an autopsy shows Beaty died as a result of the injuries he suffered in the accident
Continue Reading...27eastnews.com reports that a 19-year-old woman was killed in a motorcycle accident when the driver of the motorcycle lost control and both riders were thrown from the bike. The report states the driver of the motorcycle, 19-year-old Matthew Byank of New York was speeding on his motorcycle when he lost control and veered into the oncoming traffic lane of the road.
Continue Reading...Two men in the Dallas area were killed following a serious motorcycle accident. 45-year-old Paul Bellard was walking across the street when he was struck by 38-year-old Lashon Hudson who was driving a motorcycle. The report states Hudson’s motorcycle front wheel was in the air and Hudson was traveling at a high rate of speed when he struck Bellard. This accident demonstrates the dangers for both pedestrians and motorcyclists.
WMBB in Florida reports that a Grand Ridge, Florida man is critically injured after being thrown from his motorcycle when another car struck him from behind. 18-year-old Steven M. Hooppell was struck by 59-year-old Angela D. Jackson’s car causing the motorcycle to flip. Jackson was unharmed in the accident and Hooppell remains in critical condition. The report states that charges are currently pending in the accident.
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The City of Williams, Arizona has settled a $2.3 million lawsuit filed by the family of a Mesa man who was struck and killed by a policeman’s vehicle while riding his motorcycle on Highway 64. James Innes was hit by the police officer on May 20 when the officer, Brandon Hernandez, attempted a U-turn and apparently did not see Mr. Innes. Officer Hernandez was issued a traffic citation, but no charges were filed.
This case illustrates two important issues for motorcycle riders. First of all, it once again shows how susceptible motorcyclists are to accidents when inattentive drivers do not notice them. An internal investigation by the police department determined that the accident was “avoidable,” meaning Officer Hernandez did not exercise proper care and discretion before attempting his U-turn. It requires extra effort and attention to see a motorcycle, which Officer Hernandez apparently did not demonstrate. In addition, since Officer Hernandez was on duty and in a police department vehicle at the time of the accident, this means that the city of Williams, and not Officer Hernandez personally, was the responsible party for the accident. This is why Innes’ family filed suit against the city and not Officer Hernandez. Filing suit against a government agency for a traffic accident caused by one of their vehicles can be a difficult and confusing process, and you need an experienced attorney on your side to do so.
Recently an Illinois man and his teenage daughter received $6 million in a lawsuit settlement in Joliet, Illinois. It is believed to be a record for Will County, Illinois. In 2006, Richard and Kelly Wright were struck by a pickup truck driven by John Martis when he attempted to turn left at a stop sign. Both Richard and Kelly suffered severe injuries. Richard suffered a fractured wrist and ankle, which required surgery, while Kelly, who was 15 at the time, suffered a severely broken left ankle and a severe right tibia fracture. Though the accident occurred over three years ago, she has not yet fully recovered and is scheduled to have fusion surgery on her ankle later this year.
This case highlights two of the biggest dangers to motorcycle riders. First of all, motorcycles are often hard to see, so are more susceptible to be hit by inattentive drivers, especially at intersections, as in this case. Second, motorcycle riders are more exposed to injuries, so even a minor car-motorcycle accident can cause severe injuries which can incur severely large medical bills. If you are injured in a motorcycle accident caused by another vehicle, you should contact a motorcycle injury attorney to discuss your case.
Many assume that motorcyclists are reckless people because riding a motorcycle involves more risk than a passenger vehicle. It is true that motorcyclists in Arizona face many risks when they take to the streets. They risk other motorists not seeing their smaller profile, and they also face the greater risk of injury during collisions. But, the assumption that they are reckless is an unfair judgment not supported by the facts. And worse, this bias sometimes prevents motorcyclists from receiving fair treatment when a collision does occur.
One motorcyclist in El Mirage suffered a serious leg injury Wednesday when struck by an oncoming vehicle. This potentially deadly head on motorcycle accident occurred at 6:45 p.m., on Dysart Road near Olive Avenue.
The assistant police chief told the Arizona Republic, there was no indication the motorcyclist was speeding. However, focus on the motorcyclist’s speed propagates the bias that motorcyclists are irresponsible drivers and are typically at fault because they “knew the dangers” or “chose to take the risk.”
In fact, the vast majority of motorcyclists follow the rules of the road precisely because they know the risks and want to avoid injury. The Hurt Report and MAIDS study show that very few motorcycle accidents are caused by excessive speed. Instead, the majority of collisions occur when a driver of a larger vehicle violates the motorcycle’s right of way. The biased notion that motorcyclists take undue risks, though clearly not based in truth, still makes it difficult for motorcyclists to get a fair hearing from the law and the insurance companies. Hopefully this motorcyclist makes a quick recovery and can concentrate on getting well, instead of the hassle of dealing with obstructionist insurance companies.
Motorcycles - It’s not that we ignore them on the highway nor is it that they sneak up and surprise us. The reason we don’t see them is a function of the human brain. We are wired not to see motorcycles unless they are conspicuous.
Our primitive brain was much more aware of potential danger than our civilized brain. In our ancestral past, we perceived threats to ourselves and our fellow tribesman and reacted by fleeing or fighting. However, contemporary man has lost the instinct to readily recognize danger or timely react to it.
What can be done to prevent colliding with a motorcycle, knowing that its difficult to recognize?
Well, first of all, motorcycle manufacturers have already recognized the problem and have made motorcycles more conspicuous by wiring its lights to remain on when the motorcycle engine is turned on.
Both automobile drivers and motorcycle riders must make a conscious effort to anticipate one another. This isn’t easy because it runs against our nature and biology, but with practice we can raise the level of our awareness.
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