Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

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Thousands of motorcyclist lives could have been saved in motorcycle accidents over several decades if universal helmet laws had been in place in all U.S. states. Unfortunately, without these laws, many people were killed or suffered brain damage unnecessarily in motorcycle accidents.

A new study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that as many as 11% of all motorcyclist and rider deaths over a period of close to 5  decades could possibly have been prevented if universal motorcycle helmet laws had been place in all states. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study, more than 22,000 motorcyclist lives could have been saved between 1976 and 2022 if all states had universal helmet laws.  That means that about 11% of all motorcyclist wrongful deaths during this period of time could have been prevented.

Wearing  a helmet can significantly help reduce a person’s chances of being killed in a motorcycle accident,  just like seat belts can help save motorist lives in car  accidents. In spite of that fact, all states have laws that require motorists and passengers to wear seat belts while driving, but only 17 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring all motorcyclists and riders to wear helmets while riding.

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New research focuses on the use of infrared light therapy to help reduce the impact of a spinal injury soon after it occurs.

Spinal cord personal injuries are some of the most devastating injuries, and often occur in auto accidents, motorcycle accidents and pedestrian and bicycle accidents.  There is no complete cure for a spinal injury.   However, millions of dollars are being invested in research into circumventing or limiting the impact of spinal cord personal injuries.  Some of this research focuses on interventions that can limit damage during the early hours after the personal injury.

Recently, researchers using a grant by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health announced that they are in the process of testing an infrared tool that can help reduce the activity of  mitochondria cells after an injury.  According to the researchers, a lot of the long term impact of a spinal injury can be limited if interventions are made immediately or within a few hours after the injury.  As soon as a spinal injury occurs, the mitochondria cells go into overdrive, creating large amounts of free radicals, and increasing cell damage in the area.  According to the researchers, it is therefore important to limit the activity of the mitochondria soon after the spinal injury.

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Uninsured or under-insured patients, who have suffered spinal cord injuries due to auto accident or other traumatic events, may be much more likely to be taken off life support.

A  recent study measured the impact of insurance coverage on the survival and recovery of persons after a spinal cord injury. The study focused on more than 8,400 American adults who had suffered a spinal cord injury, and found that uninsured or under-insured patients were much more likely to be taken off life support much earlier than those with insurance.

Spinal cord injuries are often caused in auto accidents, trucking accidents and  motorcycle accidents. These are not just devastating personal injuries with long-term consequences, but are also extremely expensive personal injuries to treat.  The costs involved in treating spinal cord injuries can range between $95,000 to well above $1,000,000,  depending on the complexity or level of the injury.  Spinal cord injuries very often can result in paralysis, which in turn, can lead to a number of other effects on a person’s health.

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As  the year’s peak motorcycling season descends on us, it is important for motorcyclists to evaluate all of their gear and make sure that everything is in prime condition to prevent personal injuries in an auto accident. Keeping the gear in good condition is an important safety measure.

The  summer months are the busiest motorcycling days of the year, and Georgia roads are likely to see an increase in the number of motorcycles over the next few weeks.  While motorists in cars and trucks enjoy plenty of protection in the form of seatbelts and airbag systems as well as crash avoidance tech, motorcyclists are not as lucky.  They must depend on sturdy and well -fitting helmets,  and high quality motorcycle gear to reduce their risk of injuries in an accident.  While motorcycles on their own have become safer over the past few years with new technology, motorcyclists  are ultimately responsible for reducing the severity and number of personal injuries they suffer in an auto accident through the kind of clothing and gear that they wear.

Wearing a helmet is the single most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of suffering head injuries in the event of  an auto accident. The state of Georgia recognizes the importance of helmets in preventing head injuries in an accident, and requires all motorcyclists, including passengers, to wear helmets.  Georgia helmet laws are not restricted to passengers or motorcyclists below a certain age.  No  matter what your  age or  experience levels, you must wear a helmet when you are out riding in Georgia.  Those laws, on their own, significantly reduce the number of motorcycle accident – related head injuries that occur in Georgia every year.

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The number of people being killed in motorcycle accidents reached record numbers in 2022 with more than 6,000 lives lost that year.

With  so much of the focus on people being killed in pedestrian accidents or car accidents, it  is easy to miss the fact that motorcyclists are losing their lives in large numbers in accidents too.  In fact, in 2022, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 6,222 motorcyclists were killed in accidents. This is the highest number of motorcycle accident deaths on record.  It is also a 23% increase on the number of deaths recorded in 2019.

Motorcycle wrongful deaths  accounted for 15% of all traffic accident deaths recorded in 2019.   The  numbers recorded were also three times higher than the numbers in 1997. About 63% of all motorcycle accident fatalities occurred in accidents involving other vehicles, while  37% involved only the motorcycle.

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The month of May is being commemorated as National Bicycle Safety Month,  an ideal time just before the year’s peak cycling season kicks off to remind bicyclists  and motorists about the bicycle accident risks facing these vulnerable users.

In 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 1105 fatalities involving bicycle accidents. More than  45,000 bicyclists were injured in these accidents. In the last ten years alone, there has been a 37 percent increase in the number of bicyclist deaths in auto accidents recorded across the country.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there are 80 million bicycles in the United States.   Bicyclists  compete for space with motorists, creating conditions that are often most dangerous to the person riding the bicycle. Many of these accidents  are preventable, and require an understanding of cyclist rights as well as the key motorist mistakes that may cost a bicyclist his safety or even his or her life.

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As daylight savings time changes go into effect and clocks are brought one hour forward, a new study finds that there may be some benefits to pedestrians  and bicyclists as accidents involving these road users  are reduced after the change. The same benefits, however, do not extend to motorists.

The effect of daylight savings time change has been analyzed by traffic safety experts several times in the past.  In  this most recent study, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety researchers analyzed traffic accident data from between 2010 and 2019.  They further divided these accidents based on the hours around the time change – between 4:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. – and further divided these accidents based on whether these involved motorists or pedestrians and bicyclists.

The data found that the overall net effect of the time change was minimal, regardless of whether the accident involved pedestrians and bicyclists or occupants of a passenger vehicle.  However, about 5 weeks after the fall time change went into effect, they found that there was an increase in the number of car accidents involving bicyclists and a drop in the number of auto accidents involving motorists.  Conversely,  when they analyzed the data from about 5 weeks after the spring time change went into effect, they found an increase in the number of auto accidents involving motorists and a drop in the number of accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists.

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Persons  who have suffered a brain injury may find it difficult to recall memories or make new memories.  This could possibly be a result of processing deficits as a result of a personal injury. Car accidents, slip and fall accidents and similar traumatic events may result in brain injuries which lead to a processing deficit.

A  brain injury can result in a number of cognitive and intellectual impairments. The person may suffer from concentration problems, cognitive  deficits and a lowered ability to understand  and grasp basic concepts and ideas.  One of the more troubling parts of life after a brain injury is limited memory function.  The  person may struggle to recall events, and even short term memory may be affected.  According  to new research, a brain injury can result in slowing down of processing times or a processing deficit which can, in turn, lead to memory dysfunction.  The findings of the study are important when you consider the fact that as many as 50% of patients who have suffered a brain injury  do suffer from some kind of memory dysfunction.

The researchers believe that rehabilitation after a brain injury can help with memory function to some extent.  They believe that therapy, especially occupational therapy techniques used during rehabilitation must include techniques to speed up processing speed.

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Persons who have suffered a spinal injury in car accidents or motorcycle accidents are at a much higher risk of suffering heart disease down the line.

That information comes from a study conducted in Korea where researchers analyzed data on more than 5,000 patients who had suffered lumbar, cervical or thoracic spinal injury. They were looking at how many of these spinal injury survivors developed heart conditions including myocardial infarction, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.  They found that persons who had suffered lumbar and cervical spinal injury had a greater risk of myocardial infarctions and heart failure.   The rates were slightly higher among those persons who had suffered severe disability as a result of their spinal injury.

The  researchers believe that one of the reasons for this is the fact that spinal injury survivors have very limited mobility and ability to exercise.  This  causes the heart muscles to become weak due to the lack of exercise. The   researchers also believe that it is important for doctors  treating a person with spinal injury to factor in the increased risk of cardiac disease, including myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation and heart failure. It is important for spinal cord injury survivors and their families and caretakers to understand the higher risk of these specific heart conditions as a result of the injury.  More  education and awareness is needed,  and greater efforts must be put into   patient counselling.

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Persons who have suffered a brain injury in an auto accident may be at a higher risk of developing brain cancer later in life. This the shocking finding of a new study which could have a significant impact on personal injury claims.

A  new study that was conducted on military vets finds that a brain injury significantly increases the risk of brain cancer. The study focused on more than 1.9 million vets, and the results are disturbing.   Brain  cancer is a relatively rare cancer, and only one percent of the general population has the risk of suffering from this disease.  However, among  veterans  who have suffered a brain injury, the risk  of developing malignant cancer is as much as 90% higher than in the general population.  Additionally,  in those cases in which the injury has resulted in penetration of the skull, victims  were found to have a three times higher risk of suffering brain cancer.

The researchers take pains to point out that while the study has been conducted on veterans, and  that while the exact same results may not be seen in the  civilian population, more severe or penetrative brain injury is likely to lead to a higher risk of brain cancer among civilians as well.

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