Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

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Although motorcycle riders have the same privileges and rights as automobile drivers, they aren’t always respected on the roadways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “Share the Road with Motorcycles” campaign is trying to spread the word about motorcycle safety and awareness. Motorcycle riders don’t have the safety benefits of steel cages, side-curtain airbags or seat belts. They are at the mercy of other drivers on the road. Even when riders wear protective gear, they can still become seriously or fatally injured in crashes. Sharing the road is an important part of keeping riders and drivers in Boston safe.
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It’s a statement that’s engrained in every driver’s head: “Don’t text and drive.” While Massachusetts and nearly every state across the nation have imposed laws against texting or using a cell phone while driving, one New Jersey state appeals court, has developed a new addendum for people who text drivers. Under this addendum, people who knowingly text a person who is driving, may be held liable if the driver causes an accident.

file000739321417.jpgThe idea may seem farfetched to some, but in fact, a couple from New Jersey used the notion as grounds for a lawsuit they filed against two teenagers. In 2009, the couple Mr. and Mrs. Kubert, were struck head-on while riding a motorcycle by then-18-year-old Kyle Best. Best was behind the wheel of his pickup truck while travelling down a rural highway road, when his friend Shannon Colonna, sent him a text message. Upon opening the message, Best’s truck crossed the center line and hit the Kuberts causing, in what court documents described as, a gruesome accident.

Both the Kuberts lost their legs in the accident. According to police and court documents, immediately following the incident, Best called 911, hung up, and then continued to receive at least two more messages from Colonna.

The Kuberts sued Best, but they also included Colonna in the lawsuit. To the Kuberts, had it not been for Shannon Colonna’s texts, Kyle Best would not have been distracted. They concluded that she was also responsible for their pain and loss. Though the Kubert’s initially lost against Colonna, they appealed the court’s decision. Their attorney, Stephen Weinstein argued that Colonna was “electronically in the car with the driver” and could essentially be treated like someone sitting next to Best, willfully distracting him. Despite the argument’s being unlikely to work, three New Jersey judges agreed with it – in theory.
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A motorcyclist was flown to Brigham and Women’s Hospital yesterday after being critically injured in a crash in Holliston, Massachusetts.

The male motorcyclist was the only person involved in the single-vehicle accident which occurred on Brook Street around 2:30 p.m. Monday. Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.1301095_motorcycle_stunter_tyre_burnout_.jpg

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated approximately 81,000 people were injured and 4,612 were killed in motorcycle accidents in 2011 in the United States; a 2% increase from the number in 2010 and a 41% increase from 2002. Motorcycle accidents accounted for 14% of the total number of motor-vehicle crashes in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that per every vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are 30 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in an accident, and 5 times more likely to be injured during an accident.

The NHTSA stated that 49% of fatal motorcycle crashes involved collisions with other motor vehicles; 75% occurred with the motor vehicle in front of the motorcycle. Fatal motorcycle accidents were most likely to occur with fixed objects, rather than collisions with other motor vehicles.

Speeding, rider inexperience, and alcohol use are the three main factors that contribute to the high risk of accident on a motorcycle. According to the NHTSA, 35% of all motorcyclists involved in accidents in 2011 had been speeding before the crash. Inexperienced and un-licensed individuals made up 14% of those injured or killed in motorcycle accidents, and individuals who had had their licensed suspended previously were 1.4 times more likely to get into an accident compared to those with a passenger vehicle license revocation. Alcohol use is also a risk factor for fatal motor cycle accidents. The NHTSA estimated that about 29% of all motorcyclists were impaired by alcohol at the time of an accident. Riders aged 40-44 made up 38% of that group, respectively, followed by individuals ages 45-49 and 35-39 at 37%.
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Not only does New Hampshire have more registered motorcycles on the roads today, but also more fatalities, the Eagle Tribune reported.

79,419 motorcycles were registered in the state in 2012-a jump from the 76,431 that were registered in 2011. Increased fuel prices are among the reasons explaining a surge in numbers.

The fatality rate has also risen. NH saw 28 motorcycle-related deaths last year, which is double the number of deaths in 2011. The state had its first fatality of 2013 last weekend in Manchester.

According to NH State Police Sargent Matt Shapiro, motorcycle accidents account for more than one quarter of vehicle-related deaths. This statistic is steadily approaching 30 percent as the amount of bikers on the road continues to rise. Shapiro attributed last year’s numbers to the warm weather and good riding season, and added that early season accidents may be a combination of riders being “rusty” after months of not riding as well as the amount of sand and debris left on the roadways after the winter.

Aside from roadway conditions, Shapiro said the poor visibility of motorcycles, actions of other drivers, level of rider experience and speed all factor into the number of roadway accidents. NH’s helmet law is also an issue. Unlike Massachusetts and many other states, New Hampshire does not require riders to wear helmets. Though Shapiro added that helmets can’t prevent death in all cases, they are very effective and should be worn by every rider.
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As early as 8:15am this past Sunday morning, September 2, 2012, Melrose police received alerts from civilians and fire fighters alike concerning a collision at a four-way intersection where Green and Franklin Street meet Main Street. At a red light, a sixty-one year old man from Everett on a yellow Harley motorcycle waited for the light to change with a Hyundai sedan idling behind him. When the light turned green, the Hyundai proceeded forward. But the motorcycle hadn’t yet moved.

According to witnesses and resulting police reports, the sedan struck the motorcyclist, knocking him off his vehicle. The car then backed up, rolling over the man and drove forward again, repeating this action several times. Police reports say that the motorist, Eugene Ledonne, 76, of Stoneham then got out of the car while witnesses helped the victim, walked over to the man he had just hit, said “I’m sorry,” and returned to his vehicle. Police say the driver then reversed his car several hundred yards and fled the scene.

Recordings from witness camera phones were credited with helping the police make an expeditious identification of the driver. Although it is presently unclear as to how much of the collision was caught on video. Ledonne informed the police that he was heading to work when travelling on the northbound road. He also explained that after initially striking the motorcyclist he blacked out and wasn’t able to recall anything that happened afterwards. Police however described Ledonne as being physically capable and mentally alert in their report.
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According to Massachusetts police, a 38-year-old man was killed in a motorcycle crash on Saturday afternoon around 3:15pm. The man was reportedly riding a 2011 Victory Jackpot motorcycle when he lost control, swerving into the breakdown lane and hitting the guardrail.

The cyclist sustained serious injuries when he was ejected over the guardrail. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. As of Sunday, Troop H of the Massachusetts State Police were investigating the circumstances of the motorcycle accident.

Massachusetts issues motorcycle (class M) permits and licenses to those over the age of 16 who have not had a driver’s license revoked. Those with a Class M permit are not permitted to carry passengers and may only drive during daylight hours. Those over 18 with a valid Class M permit may apply for a Class M license. Those 16 ½ and older who have successfully completed all JOL requirements and the Massachusetts Rider Education Program (MREP) may also apply with parental consent.

Source: Rhode Island man dies in motorcycle accident on I-495 in Plainville, WickedLocal.com, October 31, 2010 Continue reading

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This past Thursday afternoon, a motorcyclist sustained serious injuries when he was struck by a 2005 Nissan. The crash occurred at 1 p.m. at the intersection of Main Street and Forest Avenue in Brockton.

The motorcyclist sustained serious injuries to his left leg, which was pinned underneath the Nissan after the collision. The injured 23-year-old man was taken by ambulance to Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital and was then transferred to New England Medical Center in Boston.

A preliminary investigation has revealed that the driver of the Nissan was traveling on Forest Avenue when he stopped at a stop sign and took a left, colliding with the motorcyclist. According to the local authorities, the Nissan driver, a 23-year-old Taunton resident, will be cited for failure to yield and operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license.
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On Sunday afternoon, a collision between a sport utility vehicle and a motorcycle killed a man and injured a woman from Pepperell, Massachusetts. Police responded to the traffic accident in Milford, New Hampshire after a southbound motorcycle collided with a northbound SUV.

The man driving the motorcycle was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, and his passenger, the 36-year-old woman from Pepperell, was airlifted to a Massachusetts hospital with injuries police say as not life-threatening.

The cause of the fatal motorcycle accident is still under investigation.

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A motorcycle accident on Friday afternoon reportedly sent a 49-year-old Groton man to the hospital with serious head injuries. The man was riding with a group of cyclists when police say another motorcyclist made an abrupt stop and he lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid hitting it.

The motorcycle accident victim was not wearing a helmet. Emergency responders originally took him to Day Kimball Hospital in Putnam, but he was later transferred to the University of Massachusetts Memorial Hospital in Worcester.

Source: Unhelmeted biker hurt in accident, TheDay.com, September 19, 2010

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Over the weekend, an off-duty Massachusetts police officer died in an alleged drunk driving accident after a motorist ran stop a sign and collided with the cyclist.

The 31-year-old accident victim had served in the US Marine Corps for four years and was a decorated six-year Lowell Police Department veteran. After neighbors found him, they began CPR and emergency responders rushed him to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Lowell residents say they’re concerned about the number of accidents at the intersection, which they say needs a stop light or four way stop.

The driver involved in the fatal accident was charged with drunk driving, failure to stop at a stop sign, and an open container violation. He was scheduled to be arraigned yesterday.

Source: Off-duty Lowell officer killed in car crash, NECN.com, September 11, 2010 Continue reading

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