Arizona Personal Injury Blog - Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle Safety

Lauren Kay — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:37:44 GMT

Ah motorcycles. That form of transportation that your mother warned you about, the preferred vehicle of all tough Americans. Motorcycles are almost as much of a personality statement as they are a mode of transportation.

But there is a reason why your mother warned you against motorcyles: they can be very dangerous if not handled properly. It makes sense- motorcycle riders are not protected from the impact of another vehicle like car riders are, so the force of an impact has nowhere to go but to the person on the motorcycle. In fact, per mile, motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to die in a car crash than car passengers. In 2006, there were almost 5,000 motorcycle fatalities reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 25% of these fatalities occured because the motorcycle driver crashed into a fixed object, like a light pole or wall. Contrary to popular belief, foul weather is not usually a contributing factor to motorcycle accidents.

What can car and motorcycle drivers do to prevent more needless deaths?

One way is for motorcycle drivers to wear helmets. This may seem cliche, but study after study supports the fact that helmets save thousands of lives. One study says that out of every 100 motorcyle deaths, 37 could have been prevented if the driver had been wearing a helmet. Speeding is also an important factor in motorcycle deaths, as a person is much more likely to survive an impact from a slower speed than a faster one. Also, it is important that motorcycle drivers learn basic "collision avoidance strategies", like how to swerve out of the path of a car without losing control of the vehicle.

But many studies support the idea that it is really the responsibility of the car drivers around a motorcycle to be careful and attentive. One important study on motorcycle safety concluded that "The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents". This means that car drivers need to always pay attention to their surroundings, to ensure that they don't accidentally collide with a small motorcycle.

Motorcycles can provide an enjoyable travel experience, but that pleasure comes with a price. No matter if you drive a motorcycle or car, it is so important to be a defensive and safe driver on the road.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lauren Kay

$800,000 Wrongful Death Settlement for Motorcycle Collision in Arizona

Geoff Trachtenberg — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:31:07 GMT

Levenbaum & Cohen ("L&C") is pleased to report that the firm recently settled a motorcycle wrongful death case for $800,000.00. L&C, which also does business as The Law Tigers -- a group of attorneys concentrating in motorcycle injury -- obtained the settlement after two riders, one in his 70s and the other in her 50s, collided with a vehicle that was trying to pass a semi-truck.

If you or a family member has been injured in a motorcycle accident, please contact an attorney by filling out the form at right.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Car and Motorcycle Accidents.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Geoff Trachtenberg

State Helmet Laws For Each Jurisdiction

Geoff Trachtenberg — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 12:42:12 GMT

While helmet usage should be everyone's priority, not every state requires helmets for every type of rider. In fact, most states still only require helmets for certain age riders and the majority of states still leave helmet usage up to the individual rider.

An excellent summary of helmet law requirements can be found at the Law Tigers website, or by clicking here.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Geoff Trachtenberg

Maricopa County Loses a Fine Judge

Staff Writer — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:53:11 GMT

Today we mourn the loss of a Judge with the Juvenile Division of the Maricopa County Superior Court. Judge John Gaylord was appointed to the Maricopa County Superior Court in 2000 and for the past three years was assigned to the Juvenile Court facility in Mesa. I never had an opportunity to appear in front of Judge Gaylord in the Juvenile Court. However, I know that Judge Gaylord had an outstanding reputation for fairness and compassion. Attorneys I know who appeared in front of him always held a high regard for his professionalism. He also was very active in the community and set a shining example of a model jurist in our state.

Tragically, Judge Gaylord

was killed yesterday evening when his motorcycle was hit by an out-of-control vehicle pulling a trailer.
Judge John M. Gaylord died at the scene of the crash. The Department of Public Safety says his 2005 Harley-Davidson was northbound on State Route 79 outside Florence when the driver of a southbound Land Rover pulling a boat crossed into his lanes.

I am sure that he will be missed by friends, family and colleagues alike and am truly sorry to not have had the privilege of appearing in his court. Maybe Judge Gaylord's tragic passing will reinforce the notion that roadway safety advocates should not ignore motorcyclists. Motorcycle safety has been a controversial topic lately. Notwithstanding this controversy, this topic should not be overlooked on Arizona roadways. Automobiles, trucks and motorcycles all share our state's roads and freeways. In light of so many tragic motorcycle accidents and in spite of the safety controversy, the Department of Transportation, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, the Federal Highway Administration, other safety organizations and drivers alike must all ensure that drivers look out for motorcycles when driving, and freeway planners must consider motorcycle safety when considering roadway expansion or new construction. Our sincere condolences on the loss of Judge Gaylord. Maybe his high profile passing will help reinforce the importance of motorcycle safety to the driving public and to roadway safety engineers.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Settlement Reached Where Improper Road Repair Leads to Motorcycle Mishap

Geoff Trachtenberg — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 18:40:50 GMT

This month the City of Phoenix approved a $250,000 settlement in a motorcycle injury case with one of our clients. The incident occurred when the City workers improperly repaired a section of the roadway that, within days after the repair, resulted in a large pothole in a through lane of travel. Unfortunately, this pothole was also all but invisible at night and caused our client's motorcycle to abruptly and unexpectedly lose control while traveling on the roadway. As a result, he was thrown to the pavement and received significant bodily and dental injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Geoff Trachtenberg

Road Debris: Recipe for Motorcycle Accidents

Geoff Trachtenberg — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:37:29 GMT

Imagine riding your motorcycle down the freeway and having a tire tread or some other debris thrust into your path by an unknown vehicle. It is a prospect, in one form or another, that bikers face all the time. Often the problem for injured bikers in these types of situations is that, even if they have uninsured motorist coverage, carriers attempt to deny these claims since it is impossible to show the source of such debris.

Although the law in this area is quite complicated, varies from state to state, and often depends upon the facts, one factor that can be very important is whether the debris is an "integral part" of a vehicle (such as tire tread or hub cap) or just simple debris (such as a mattress, folding chairs, or bail of wire). Believe it or not, the type of road debris can make a huge difference in whether you are able to recover for an injury.

In Arizona, the Court of Appeals recently addressed this very issue in a motorcycle accident case that I handled and, while our law still presents some significant hurdles to these types of claims, the court found that there was sufficient evidence to allow our injured motorcycle client to pursue his claim against his uninsured motorist carrier since his collision with a tire tread gave rise to sufficient "physical contact" with another vehicle.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Geoff Trachtenberg

One Dead in Motorcycle vs 2-Car Accident

Christina Cole — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 23:29:12 GMT

One person is dead after a traffic accident involving a motorcycle and two vehicles on Monday morning on westbound Interstate 10, approximately 15 miles east of Scottsdale.

The Arizona Department of Public safety says the accident involved a motorcycle and at least two other vehicles. One of the vehicles was rear-ended during a lane change.

At this time there is no further information regarding the man that was killed in the motorcycle accident or what the caused the accident in the first place.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety is still investigating and further details will be released as they piece together the accident and what led up to it.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole

Recent Tribune Article Discusses Motorcycle Safety

Staff Writer — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 11:15:44 GMT

The East Valley Tribune recently published an article highlighting a twenty-two percent increase in fatal motorcycle accidents in the past year in Arizona. According to the Tribune,

Overall, the number of fatal Arizona motorcycle collisions doubled from 2001 to 2005, and transportation officials say they are particularly concerned about a surge in driver deaths in the 45-to-54-year-old age group.
Deadly motorcycle crashes increased at 10 times the rate of other vehicular deaths between 2004 and 2005, with more than half involving motorcyclists age 35 and older. Those statistics differ significantly from crash data for other vehicle types, in which older drivers died at a far lower rate.

These statistics seem to suggest that older motorcyclists are not adequately trained and are prone to collisions. However, shouldn't we also look to the increasing number of drivers on Arizona roadways as another reason for the increasing number of collisions? Also, problems associated with cellphone use and driver inattentiveness could be a contributing factor to both auto and motorcycle collisions. Recent studies suggest that cellphone use while driving can be as distracting as alcohol impairment leading to serious auto accidents. Before we start blaming only motorcycle riders for inadequate training on Arizona roadways, shouldn't we also look to distracted drivers who may not pay careful attention to the roadway and cause accidents with motorcyclists? Operating a vehicle on our roadways involves a partnership between the driver and everybody else on the roadway. Shouldn't everybody who drives take safety seriously and drive defensively whether or not you ride a motorcycle, a car, an SUV, a van or a commercial truck. What do you think? Are motorcyclists unfairly singled out in this article? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Arizona Reports Sharp Rise in Motorcycle Crash Fatalities

Staff Writer — Tue, 05 Sep 2006 23:22:13 GMT

An article in the Arizona Republic, citing statistics provided by the the Arizona Automobile Association and Department of Motor Vehicles, provides a sobering look at motorcycle safety in Arizona. According to the Arizona Republic article,

Motorcycle-crash fatalities have risen sharply in Arizona, with 146 riders and passengers killed during 2005. That compares with 118 deaths in 2004 and 75 in 2001, according to statistics from AAA Arizona and the state Motor Vehicle Division.

Riding a motorcycle has never been more popoular recently. Recent gas price spikes have only added to the popularity. Unfortunately, while motorcycle use has increased, so has traffic volume.

"There are more people riding motorcycles today, while streets are becoming more and more congested," said Detective Walter Olsen of the Phoenix police's Traffic Education and Safety Unit. "If you put more cars and more motorcycles on the road, there will be more people killed."

While you may get substantially better gas mileage riding a motorcycle in Arizona, be warned that you need to take extra precautions riding a motorcycle these days. Drive defensively and keep in mind that sharing the road with cars and trucks unfortunately also means that you have a higher risk of getting hit.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Motorcycle Accidents Run Rampant

Staff Writer — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 11:08:03 GMT

Could one of the costs of gas price hikes be more motorcycle accidents? According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, many fed-up auto owners are taking to riding motorcycles to save on fuel. We may see more and more motorcycles on the road, as well as more motorcycle accidents.

Arizona is a beautiful state to enjoy the open road from a motorcycle, but riding a motorcycle can also be dangerous. Riders should use proper safety precautions, such as wearing a helmet, taking a motorcycle safety class and making a practice of 100% focus while operating a motorcycle. Drivers of automobiles are not always aware of motorcyclists.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer