Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

Non-Approved Motorcycle Helmets May Not Protect against Injury

While the state of Georgia has a law requiring all motorcycle riders to wear helmets for their own protection, many motorcyclists in Georgia could be increasing their risk of injury by wearing unsafe, “fancy” helmets that are not approved by the Department of Transportation, nor by any private certifying agency.

The US Department of Transportation certifies hundreds of helmets every year.DOT-Approved helmets have an inner lining that protects the head during impact.They also have strong rivets, protective chin straps and other features that help prevent head and facial injuries during an accident. Unfortunately, too many motorcyclists in Georgia are riding with novelty helmets that look like military helmets, and do not cover the face completely. These helmets do not offer complete facial and head protection during an accident.In fact, wearing a helmet like this may not offer even minimal protection during an accident.

One of the biggest factors in motorcycle accidents is motorist negligence or lack of motorist awareness.It’s important for motorists to understand that motorcycles are not like cars or trucks.Motorcyclists face peculiar challenges as they jostle for space with motorists, and it helps motorcyclists if other people on the road are more aware of these challenges.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has tips for motorists and truck drivers to help them look out for motorcyclists.Here’s a brief rundown of just some of those tips.

· Look out for motorcyclists especially closely at certain spots, like intersections. Because of a motorcycle’s small size, it may be easier to miss.

Summer also happens to be motorcycling season across Georgia.Thousands of motorcyclists will take to the highways this summer and, unfortunately, many of them will be involved in a motorcycle accident. They can accept warm weather, clear skies, and unfortunately, also plenty of hostile motorists. There are several things that motorcyclists can keep in mind to help them to avoid an accident and serious injuries.

As Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers, we would like to stress the need for both motorists and motorcyclists to cooperate to prevent accidents this summer.One of the best things that a novice motorcyclist can do to minimize the risk of accidents and injuries is to take a safety training program before beginning motorcycling. Even if you have been an avid motorcyclist in the past and have spent a few years without riding, it’s highly recommended that you take a motorcycle training program to brush up your skills. These training courses provide excellent tips for avoiding accidents.

Wear protective gear. A helmet is an absolute must. Also wear protective leather clothing including jackets and boots.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is promoting motorcycle safety in the month of May. The agency has declared May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and is encouraging local communities and motorcycling organizations to spearhead safety campaigns and other efforts.

To help these efforts, the agency has prepared a Share the Road planner which contains vital resources you can use to conduct your own motorcycle safety campaign in your community.The agency’s key message for the month of May is to “Share the Road.” The message is targeted at motorists who are urged to look out for motorcyclists as they drive. The NHTSA wants motorists to understand that:

· Motorcycles are vehicles too, and riders enjoy just as many privileges as motorists do.

A motorcyclist was killed in a tragic hit-and-run accident in Atlanta over the weekend. The victim was riding his motorcycle, and ran out of gas. He was stopped at the side of Interstate 20 West, when he was struck by a car. He died instantly from his injuries..The motorist continued driving after he struck the motorcyclist. Fortunately, an off-duty Georgia State Trooper was just behind the car, and noticed the accident. He chased the car, and was able to apprehend the motorist.

Last year, there were more than 5,000 people killed in motorcycle accidents across the country. That was a record since motorcycle crash data gathering began more than three decades ago. It’s also a reminder to Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyers that we’re still far from even understanding what is causing this spike in fatalities, let alone developing measures to prevent these.

A new motorcycle crash causation study however, provides a glimmer of hope. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute is partnering with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to conduct a study that would provide a fresh look into the causes of these accidents.The study is expected to begin in 2012. It is expected to be the first naturalistic study of motorcycle crash causes. It will also be one of the first major studies into motorcycle crash causes in decades.

Helmet Usage can Minimize Brain Injury Risk in Motorcycle Accident Victims

Efforts by law enforcement authorities and transportation authorities in Georgia and nationwide, have helped lower accident fatality rates over the past few years. However, the rates of motorcycle accident fatalities have increased dramatically during the same period.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as of 2008, motorcycle accident fatalities had actually increased for the 11th year running.

Motorcycle Education Initiative Aims to Lower Accident Statistics Across Georgia

Last month, Georgia State Patrol and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety launched a motorcycle safety education initiative, aimed at lowering the numbers of motorcycle crash statistics across the state. According to Georgia State Patrol, the safety education unit will provide motorcycle safe information at schools, clubs, military facilities and other locations across Georgia.

The safety education initiative comes as motorcycle accident fatality rates continue on their upward graph, causing concern to law enforcement officials, motorcycling groups as well as Georgia motorcycle accident lawyers. While other highway accident statistics have dropped steadily over the past decade, motorcycle accident fatalities have actually increased during the same period of time. Currently, motorcycle accident fatalities constitute 14 percent of all highway fatalities in the US. In 2007, 162 motorcyclists died in accidents in Georgia. 3,334 people were injured in these accidents.

The Federal Highway Administration has announced the launch of a new study to probe causes of motorcycle accidents, and to help develop procedures and strategies that can prevent or minimize these accidents.

The study will be conducted at the Oklahoma State University’s Transportation Center, and will be the first one in decades. The last such study was conducted in 1981, and resulted in the release of the Hurt Report. The report led to the identification of several causes of motorcycle accidents, and contributed to the development of strategies to minimize or prevent these crashes. However, the findings of the Hurt Report and any effects they may have had on motorcycle safety, have begun to lose their relevance in the nearly 30 years since the report was released. This can be seen in the steady increase in the rates of motorcycle accident fatalities, not just in Georgia, but across the country.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, motorcycle riders continue to remain some of the most highly at-risk groups on our roads. In 2008, approximately 5,300 motorcyclists were killed nationwide in these accidents, which is about 14 percent of all traffic accident fatalities that year. An estimated 177 of those fatalities occurred in Georgia. This was even as accident fatality rates in other groups, like automobile accidents and pedestrian accidents, showed a marked downward trend. According to the Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, motorcyclist fatalities increased by 150 percent between 1997 and 2008.

Man Killed in Cobb County Motorcycle Accident

A Smyrna resident has been killed in a motorcycle accident involving another biker in Cobb County.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the victim Anthony Tyrone Anderson was riding his motorbike behind another motorcyclist, Ronald Bagley. Bagley signaled that he was making a left turn, but when he began turning, Anderson’s motorcycle crashed into his bike. Anderson’s motorcycle was thrown across the road into several utility poles. He suffered fatal injuries.

A multi-vehicle accident on Interstate-285 in DeKalb County on Wednesday left a motorcyclist dead, and 5 other people injured. According to DeKalb County police, the accident was set off by an SUV driver who entered the highway without slowing for traffic.

The driver seems to have set off a chain reaction that led to an 18 wheeler, striking a group of motorcyclists. A 54-year-old motorcyclist has been killed, and one other motorcycle rider has sustained serious injuries. Three motorcyclists and the SUV driver have sustained moderate injuries. The accident involved three motorcycles, two SUVs and two 18 wheelers.

Details are still coming in, but it seems like that the motorcycles involved in the accident were participating in the National Biker Round-up. It was the second day of the bike fest, and the event which is hosted by the Georgia biker community, is expected to continue for about a week, ending on Sunday.