Fatal Motorcycle Accidents.
Fatal motorcycle accidents claim the lives of motorcycle riders every year in the United States. Motorcycle riders are more at risk to fatal motorcycle accidents than car drivers as motorcycles lack the size and safety features that automobiles do. Just wearing your helmet on a motorcycle does not necessarily prevent wrongful death in a fatal motorcycle accident.
As motorcycle accident attorneys, we stress the importance of exercising safety first for all motorcycle riders. The following motorcycle accident statistics are not meant to deter people from riding a motorcycle, rather their purpose is to inform motorcycle riders of all of the dangers of fatal motorcycle accidents.
The statistics are impossible to ignore:
- According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2007, 5,154 people died in fatal motorcycle accidents, the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. The 2007 figure represents a 6.6 percent from 4,837 the previous year.
- Wrongful deaths in fatal motorcycle accidents have increased every year for the past 10 years.
- 123,000 motorcycles were involved in motorcycle crashes in 2007, including property damage-only crashes, according to latest data from the NHTSA.
- Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a fatal motorcycle accident per automobile mile traveled in 2006 and eight times more likely to be injured, according to NHTSA.
- The fatality rate per registered vehicle for motorcyclists in 2007 was 6 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants, according to NHTSA.
Fatal motorcycle accident statistics can be damning, hiring an experienced motorcycle accident attorney will greatly improve a loved ones chances for a maximum settlement in a fatal motorcycle accident case.
Please contact us for a FREE CONSULTATION with an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer — in either English or Spanish — at (800) 655-6585 or click here to submit your case for a Free Review.
Fatal Motorcycle Accidents | Motorcycle Accident Lawsuits | Motorcycle Accident Settlement
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Last week, we reported on a car accident in San Diego that resulted out of alleged teen street racing. In new developments, the 18-year-old driver charged with the death of the two teenagers involved in the street racing has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter among four other charges according to reports at the San Diego Union Tribune. The news follows the earlier arrest of another 16-year-old driver that was taken into custody on similar charges.
Just shortly after his arraignment, Michael Johnson, the 18-year-old driver of a Volvo S40, said, according to his attorney, that he is not the responsible party in the tragic San Diego accident fatalities that occurred April 4.
Accident reports indicate that Johnson was returning from a spring break beach party in La Jolla when he was allegedly involved in a street racing contest with another teen driver – the unidentified 16-year-old driver of a Volkswagen Passat whose name has not been released since he is a minor. According to Deputy District Attorney Kristen Spieler, the two vehicles were zigzagging across lanes at speeds reaching up to a staggering 100 m.p.h. The 16-year-old driver in the Passat lost control over the vehicle, causing the car to flip over several times across multiple lanes of the road.
Two passengers, Anthony Foreman, 18, and Jayli Campbell, 16, were thrown from the Passat and died at the scene of the accident. Two passengers survived the crash. Charlotte McQuillen, survived the accident although she suffered serious injury as a result of the collision including reports that say the teen will have to recover from traumatic brain injury. Anthoney Taylor, 16, also survived the crash although his injuries are unclear at this time.
Johnson did not flee the scene of the accident according to police reports and cooperated with authorities once officers assessed the scene of the collision. The teen has no prior criminal record, although authorities say his vehicle was found containing a small amount of marijuana. Johnson is being charged with intoxicated driving, although his lawyer says there were no field sobriety tests to confirm the teen’s alleged intoxication.
Teen driving: reminders for concerned parents
Last week, we blogged on actions parents can take to prevent teen car accidents. Tips include:
- Sign a parent-teen contract. Download your free contract now.
- Enforcing the rules. Every teen driver needs to know that rules are there for a purpose, and when they are broken, consequences will follow.
- Have a DUI backup plan. As most parents can attest, there are many instances when teen drivers run into problems that supersede their know-how and maturity. Drinking is one of those problems. In cases of emergency, your teen should have an open-door policy where they feel safe to call you when they need help – such in the case of drunk driving or driving while intoxicated.
About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC
The Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC are specialists in
car accident injury. Every personal injury attorney in our San Diego office works hard to seek maximum recovery for every injured client. Your case is handled without any out-of-pocket costs, so do not hesitate to speak to a
San Diego personal injury lawyer today for a free legal evaluation. Call us at 1-800-655-6585.