Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

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We all know that driving drunk can result in catastrophic Boston car crashes. Unfortunately, many people still continue to get behind the steering wheel of a vehicle after drinking too much and they risk their lives and the lives of others in the process.

Drunk drivers come from all age demographics and walks of life. New findings, however, are showing that nationally, there has been an increase in the number of women involved in deadly drunk driving accidents. A new report also reveals that it isn’t just young drivers who are prone to binge drinking.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of female drunk drivers is becoming a national safety issue. From 1998 – 2007, there has been a 28.8% increase in the number of women arrested for DUI. Currently, impaired women drivers are involved in about 2,000 US traffic deaths each year. In this state, however, between 2008 and 2007 there was a decline in the number of impaired women involved in deadly Massachusetts motor vehicle accidents.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reporting a 16% drop in the number of Massachusetts traffic deaths between 2007 and 2008. 363 people died in traffic accidents throughout the state last year. 434 people died in 2007.

Worcester County and Middlesex County tied for first place as the counties with the most traffic fatalities-56 deaths each. The state of Massachusetts also saw a decline in the number of drunk driving-related deaths by 20% from 155 fatalities in 2007 to 124 deaths in 2008.

More 2008 Massachusetts Traffic Facts:
227 vehicle occupant deaths 422 drivers that died At least 61 of the drivers were younger than 21 At least 120 of these victims were not properly restrained at the time of their deaths 42 motorcycle deaths-a drop from the 62 Massachusetts motorcycle rider fatalities in 2007 75 pedestrian deaths

Nationally, the US Department of Transportation reported a 9.7% decline in traffic deaths between 2007 and 2008. 37,261 people died in US traffic accidents last year, with substantial drops in nearly every major category, including light truck occupant fatalities and passenger car occupant deaths.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood also noted that the country had implemented major steps to improve road and vehicle safety, increase seat belt use, and decrease the number of drunk driving accidents.

More 2008 US Traffic Statistics:
2,346,000 injuries 11,773 alcohol impaired-related fatalities 5,811,000 traffic accidents 677 large truck deaths
5,290 motorcycle fatalities 4.378 pedestrian deaths 716 pedalcyclist fatalities 23,000 large truck injuries 96,000 motorcycle injuries 69,000 pedestrian injuries 52,000 pedalcyclist injuries
While the overall decline in traffic deaths is of positive note, there are still too many people getting hurt or dying in Massachusetts traffic crashes. In many instances, an injured person’s own motor vehicle or medical insurance is not enough to cover all recovery costs, medical expenses, and lost wages.

Mass. traffic deaths drop 16 percent in 2008, Boston.com, July 3, 2009
Overall Traffic Fatalities Reach Record Low in 2008, NHTSA
Related Web Resources:
View State-by-State 2008 Data, NHTSA
2008 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment- Highlights (PDF)
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The month of May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness month in the United States. This is a time to remind Boston motorcyclists and motor vehicle riders that they share the roads with each other and that both groups are responsible for taking the necessary precautions to prevent Massachusetts motorcycle accidents from happening.

There are about 180,000 people licensed to ride motorcycles in Massachusetts. Last year, there were 36 motorcycle deaths in the state. While drivers of cars, trucks, and buses have their gripes against riders, accusing them of speeding and not taking the necessary safety precautions to prevent motorcycle accidents from happening, motorcyclists have expressed their own frustrations, including the sentiment that they don’t think other drivers treat them like they would other motorists, with the same driving privileges and rights.

Massachusetts motorcycle accidents can lead to serious injuries for the motorcyclist, who is always at a disadvantage whenever he or she is in a traffic collision-whether alone or with another motor vehicle. One reason for this is that a rider has nothing but protective clothing and gear to cushion the impact of being in a catastrophic motorcycle crash. This is a good time to contact an experienced Boston motorcycle accident law firm to explore your legal options about obtaining financial recovery from all negligent parties.

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
Regardless of who may be at fault and why, Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is a time to remind both motorcyclists and motor vehicle drivers that they “Share the Road.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following reminders for preventing motorcycle accidents. The suggestions are intended to keep motorcyclists and other drivers safe while preventing motor vehicle crashes:

• Motorcyclists and motor vehicle drivers have the same driving rights and privileges.
• Drivers: Remember that motorcycles are not as easy to spot as their larger motor vehicle counterparts, so be on the lookout for them and remember that it is harder to gauge how far away they are or how fast they may be approaching. Check your blind spots.

• Motorcyclists: Make yourself as visible as possible. Wear protective clothing and stay out of other drivers’ blind spots.
• Give each other the full lane width. Don’t try to share this space with each other.
• Signal to indicate any lane changes or merging.
• Drivers: Give motorcycles the extra room they may need to maneuver potential road hazards, such as potholes, wet surfaces, gravel, and grooved pavements.
• Motorcyclists: Give yourself the space you need to ride safely.

New Advancement In Motorcycle Safety, CBS 3, May 7, 2009
NHTSA

Related Web Resources:
Massachusetts Rider Education Program, RMV
Motorcycle Safety Foundation
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New information in the February 2009 issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine offers convincing evidence that the combined use of seat belts and air bags is the best protection that auto accident victims can have from sustaining spine fractures. The findings are based on an examination of over 20,000 motor vehicle crash victims who were treated in Wisconsin hospitals between 1994 and 2002.

According to the study:
• The number one cause of spinal cord injuries is motor vehicle accidents.
• Becoming involved in an auto crash in a vehicle equipped with air bags and while using a seat belt lowered the chances of an accident victim sustaining a spine fracture.
• Just 14% of the drivers and front seat passengers who were victims of motor vehicle crashes had the protection of both a seat belt and an air bag.
• 38% of the accident victims were not using seat belts.
• Out of the 2,530 victims with spine fractures who were part of the study, 64 of them died in hospitals.
• Kinds of spine fractures: 1,067 of them were cervical fractures, 1,034 were lumbosacral fractures, and 565 were thoracic fractures.
• Auto accident victims that were using an air bag and not a seat belt had a greater chance of sustaining a severe thoracic spine fracture.

Evidence from the study was based on information about air bag and seat belt usage combined with spine fracture incidences. Some 20,276 auto accident victims were part of the study. All of the individuals had be either front seat passengers or drivers, 16 years of age or older. They also had to not have been thrown from the vehicle during the crash, and complete ICD-9CM data had to be provided.

One of the authors of the study, Marjorie C. Wang, MD, MPH from the Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, says that federal and state governments should dedicate more resources toward making sure that motor vehicle occupants use air bags and seat belts together.

Spinal Fractures
A spinal fracture is when at least one vertebrae in the back or neck breaks. While many spine fracture cases are not serious enough to warrant surgery, more serious spinal fractures can result in spinal cord injuries, paralysis, severe pain, and death. Failing to treat existing fractures can lead to progressed deformity and the ability to live a healthy, normal life.

Research: Air Bags/Seat Belts Important in Preventing Spine Fractures, Huliq News, January 26, 2009
Spinal Fractures, Spine Universe.com

Related Web Resources:

Journal of Neurology: Spine

Spinal Cord Injuries, Medline Plus Continue reading

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A Pepperell couple is suing the town of Pepperell for personal injuries they sustained in a Massachusetts motorcycle collision in 2005. Edward and Jennifer DiNitto are suing the town for $500,000 to cover medical bills and lost wages. They filed the personal injury lawsuit in Lowell Superior Court.

On July 28, 2005, the couple was riding their Harley-Davidson motorcycle on Hollis Street when they crashed into the side of a pickup truck at the intersection of Brookline and Hollis Streets. In their lawsuit, the couple contends that the town was negligent for its failure to properly maintain the intersection and the public land abutting it. Their complaint accuses the town of failing to cut down trees and overhanging vegetation, which obstructed drivers’ view of the road. The couple also claims the town was negligent in its placement of a stop sign.

Edward sustained lacerations, broken bones, and internal injuries in the crash. Jennifer sustained a broken left leg, a fractured pelvis, and shattered her left ankle.

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This month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released its 2007 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatalities and People Injured data. Statistics for last year indicate a 3.9% percent decrease in traffic accident fatalities between 2006 and 2007.

Overall traffic accident deaths for 2007 was 41,059, down from 42,708 in 2006, with injuries also decreasing from 2,575,000 in 2006 to 2,491,000 in 2007.

Other 2007 US Traffic Facts:

Passenger vehicle deaths: 28,933 Injuries: 2,221,000
Motorcycle deaths: 5,154 Injuries: 103,000
Pedestrian Deaths: 4,654 Injuries: 70,000
Bicyclist Deaths: 698 Injuries: 43,000
Large Truck Occupant Deaths: 802
The NHTSA also provided 2007 traffic accident statistics for the state of Massachusetts: 417 deaths.

According to US Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters, the decline in total motor vehicle deaths can be attributed to more aggressive law enforcement measures at both the state and federal levels, as well as the manufacturing of safer motor vehicles.

Read the Summary of the 2007 Annual Assessment of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crash Fatalities and People Injured (PDF)

Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Highway Department

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Two people riding a 1995 Harley-Davidson were injured on Monday in Bridgewater after they were hit by a car while stopped at a red light at the intersection of Main and High streets. The driver of the motorcycle, Valdemar Cordeiro, sustained head trauma, and his passenger, Kelly O’Brien, sustained leg injuries. Both of the them were taken to local hospitals for medical attention following the Massachusetts motorcycle accident.

The driver of the car, 38-year-old Kevin Quigley, did not stop after striking the motorcycle. He was later apprehended by police, who claim that he at first gave a relative’s name and birth date and said he had not been at the accident scene.

Quigley was arrested and charged with one count of operating under the influence of alcohol for a fifth offense, two counts of operating under the influence of alcohol causing serious injury, failure to stop at a red light, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation, and giving a false name to a police officer.

Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcyclists and their passengers are prone to serious injuries when involved in a traffic accident with a car, truck, or bus. You are entitled to personal injury compensation if you are a motorcyclist injured because another party was negligent.

Injuries that can occur during a motorcycle accident:

• Broken bones • Back injuries • Spinal cord injuries • Brain injuries • Road Burns • Disfigurement • Coma
• Emotional and mental trauma • Burn injuries
Two on motorcycle injured when hit by a car in Bridgewater, Enterprisenews.com, July 9, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification (PDF)

National Agenda for Motorcycle Safety
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Jackie Monahan, a Haverhill, Massachusetts, woman has won $8.5 million in the wrongful death lawsuit against Alexis Ortiz, the 22-year-old driver who was speeding when he killed her husband Larry, 54, who had been riding his motorcycle outside their residence on March 18, 2006.

At his Massachusetts Parole Board meeting last month, Ortiz admitted that he had been drinking on the day of the deadly auto accident. Police estimates that Ortiz had been driving a Saturn sedan at around 81 mph. The car belonged to his father and was uninsured at the time of the accident. The collision left Larry crushed between the car and his motorcycle.

Ortiz, also a Haverhill resident, pled guilty to vehicular homicide and manslaughter charges in March 2007. He was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison sentence. As part of his plea agreement, he was to serve 2 years in jail, 10 years probation, and a 15-year license suspension.

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A 50-year old Mashpee, Massachusetts man was seriously injured in a motorcycle collision in East Falmouth last week after his motorcycle collided with a 2004 Mazda on Sandwich Road.

Michael Pasakarnis, the motorcycle rider, sustained serious injuries and was taken by MedFlight to Boston Medical Center.

The car driver was not in the crash. Police are investigating the injury accident.

Motorcyclists can become seriously injured when involved in collisions with another motor vehicle-especially as they don’t have anything to protect them from the impact of colliding with a truck, bus, car, bicycle, another motorcycle, the ground, or any non-moving object, such as a wall or a concrete barrier. It is not uncommon for a motorcycle rider to get thrown off his or her motorcycle and get seriously hurt or die.

Although no one has any control over the way other people drive, there are steps that motorcyclists can take to protect themselves when riding on any road in Massachusetts:

• Wear your DOT approved helmet • Wear goggles or other protective eye covering • Know how to operate your motorcycle • Be aware of the traffic rules
• Participate in a motorcycle training course
• Review your owner’s manual • Develop the proper skill and experience before driving on freeways and winding roads • Wear gloves, pants, and a jacket as protective clothing • Avoid wearing sneakers or sandals of flip-flops • Wear bright or reflective clothing • Drive defensively • Assume that other drivers on the road can’t see you • Drive at a speed that takes traffic and weather conditions into consideration
Motorcyclist injured in Falmouth collision, Cape Cod Times, October 18, 2007
Motorcycle Safety, NTSA
Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Statute of Limitations

Motorcycle Safety, FHWA Safety Continue reading

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Movie star George Clooney was injured on Friday when the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a car in New Jersey. Clooney sustained a few scrapes, a broken rib, and road rash in the motorcycle accident. His girlfriend Sarah Larson reportedly broke her foot. Both of them were using helmets at the time of the crash, which took place in Weehawken, across from the Hudson River and Manhattan.

Police in New Jersey are still trying to determine whether Clooney or the other driver was negligent in causing the motor vehicle accident. Clooney claims that the driver of the other vehicle, a Mazda Saloon, was signaling to turn left but turned right instead and crashed into the motorcycle. The driver of the car is disputing this account.

If you are injured in any kind of motor vehicle accident, you should hire a personal injury attorney right away so that he or she can investigate your case and determine whether you have grounds to file a personal injury claim against a negligent party.

Injuries in a motorcycle accident can be very serious-especially because riders have little protection (if any). Motor vehicle collisions involving a motorcycle can result in both minor and catastrophic injuries. Motorcycle injuries can include burn injuries, road burns, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, bruises, disfigurement, and wrongful death.

Common causes of motorcycle accidents:

• A driver fails to notice there is a motorcycle in the vicinity.
• Driver inexperience • Speeding • Mechanical failure • Poor road conditions • Driver negligence or recklessness • Drunk driving
In Massachusetts, approximately 42 motorcycle riders die every year.

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles says that if car drivers, bus drivers, and truck drivers want to avoid getting into an accident with a motorcycle, they should be especially cautious during the following situations:

• You are making a left turn in front of a rider.
• A motorcyclist is riding in your blind spot.
• There are hazardous road conditions. Potholes, wet leaves, railroad tracks, and other obstructions may force a motorcyclist to take an action you don’t expect.
• You have an obstructed line of sight. Sport utility vehicles, delivery vans, and large trucks may block motorcyclists from your view.

Because of the serious and costly nature of motorcycle accidents and injuries, you should speak with a personal injury attorney immediately if you have been injured in an accident-especially before you try to negotiate a settlement with any insurance parties.

George Clooney injured in motorcycle accident, CNN, September 21, 2007
Clooney could face charges after motorcycle crash, The Independent, September 23, 2007
Tips for Sharing the Road, The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles

On the Road Again, Massachusetts Motorcyclists’ Survivors Fund Inc.

Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Motorcycle Roads, Motorcycleroads.us
Motorcycle Accident Statistics, WebBikeWorld Continue reading

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