California Personal Injury Blog - Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclist Under the Influence Kills Nine-Year Old Girl and Critically Injures Her Father

Margaret Embry — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:45:12 GMT

On May 27, 2009, a father and his nine-year old daughter were struck by a motorcycle that was being operated by a man under the influence of alcohol in Novato, CA, according to foxreno.com. The nine-year old girl died from her injuries and the father is still in critical condition. As the father and daughter were crossing the street on a crosswalk, the impaired motorcyclist was speeding and ran a stop sign, subsequently hitting the two pedestrians. The motorcyclist was arrested for vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, mayhem, and enhancement alleging infliction of great bodily injury during a felony.

Driving under the influence in any type of vehicle is illegal and extremely unsafe. Operating a motorcycle under the influence of alcohol can put the driver at an even higher risk for injury to themselves or to others. According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Quick Tips for Alcohol Awareness:

Having any alcohol in one’s body increases the chance of crashing by five times.

Having a BAC greater than 0.05% increases the risk of crashing about forty-fold.

46 percent of all motorcyclists killed in crashes were using alcohol.

One fourth of all fatal alcohol-related motorcycle crashes involve motorcyclists running off the road, overturning, or falling from the motorcycle rather than striking another object.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation has a helpful Riding Tips Handbook for those interested in learning more about motorcycle safety.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Margaret Embry

Off-duty L.A. firefighter dies in off-road crash

Rick Patterson — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:19:00 GMT

An offduty Los Angeles firefighter was killed Tuesday in an off-road motorcycle crash, California Highway Patrol officials said.

Andrew J. Sauceda, 28, was riding his 2005 Honda XR 650 while wearing full protective gear on a private road near Black Quarry Mountain Road east of Dale Evans Parkway. He lost control, overturned and was ejected over a 30-foot embankment.

Sauceda was killed at impact because of major head trauma and internal bleeding, CHP authorities said.

According to authorities, other off-duty Los Angeles City Fire Department firemen were with him and called for help.

The LACFD Boyle Heights Station battalion chief also arrived at the scene once told about the deadly crash.

The CHP and the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner's Department is investigating the incident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Rick Patterson

Motorcyclist Killed in Head-On Collision on Bear Mountain Road

Todd Slaughter — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:27:30 GMT

REDDING, Calif - At about 6 p.m. yesterday, a motorcyclist was killed on Bear Mountain Road in a head-on collision. According to the Record Searchlight, the collision occured east of Old Oregon Trail. Witnesses interviewed by KRCR this morning indicate that the rider of the motorcycle may have drifted into the path of the oncoming driver. After the collision, the rider was trapped beneath the vehicle. The California Highway Patrol has not completed its investigation to this point. The identities of the parties have not been disclosed.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Todd Slaughter

Highway Safety the Focus When Motorcycle and Tractor-Trailer Collide in Accident

Claude Wyle — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:36:24 GMT

Sad news earlier this week when a local motorcyclist was killed as a semi made an illegal move across traffic in an attempt to make a freeway connection. According to the San Jose Mercury News:

Herbert Saxton Jr., 33, was killed in the crash that occurred about 6 p.m. when the big-rig drove from the right shoulder of eastbound Interstate 580, just past the split with Interstate 205 west of Tracy, across two freeway lanes and into a dirt gore point separating the two freeways, said Officer Steve Creel.

Driving Safety expert Reed Berry has a great collection of videos about safe driving at VideoJug.com. Below I have included a short video that reminds drivers to be careful on the road, especially around motorcycles.

Since even the safest drivers let their minds wander and lose focus at times, Reed's videos serve as a great safety refresher to reference every now and then. This tragic accident could have been avoided if the truck driver had practiced basic highway driving safety. Remember, if you miss a turn or exit, it's important not to panic. Continuing on until you find a safe way to correct your route may cost time, but it also may save a life.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Claude Wyle

Did You See the Motorcycle Crash Saturday? - Woman Critically Injured

Todd Slaughter — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:35:28 GMT

EUREKA, California - A serious motorcycle crash occurred on Saturday morning on U.S. Highway 101 at about 10:00 am. According to the Eureka Standard-Times a car of unknown make and model turned directly into the path of a motorcycle, causing the motorcycle to veer into the oncoming lane. The motorcycle then collided with another vehicle and the 61-year-old female passenger was critically injured. The 63-year-old Eureka man driving the motorcycle also suffered injuries. Both were taken to St. Joseph Hospital. The left turning vehicle never stopped.

The CHP is still investigating the crash. However, Highway 101 through Eureka is a very busy street at all times of the day. Someone must have witnessed the accident. If you saw the crash, or can identify the fleeing vehicle, please call the Eureka CHP at 800.427.7623, or you may call us at 800.896.4200, or email, and we will forward the information to the authorities. All contacts are confidential.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Todd Slaughter

Motorcyclist Killed in Santa Clarita Crash

Susy Owen — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:02:55 GMT

The motorcycle crash occurred at the intersection of Wiley Canyon and Tournament Rd in Valencia, CA. 23-year old Peter Neptune was on his motorcycle when it collided with a car driven by Dejah Morris, 25, of Newhall. The crash occurred aroun 8:45 on the morning of January 13.

The car flipped onto its side and both men were taken to nearby Newhall Memorial Hospital. Morris was treated for minor injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Susy Owen

Safe Motorcycle Helmets are Not Cheap, but They Can Be Inexpensive

Greg Owen — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:47:00 GMT

There is a safe way to buy an inexpensive motorcycle helmet, as long as you do your research. First, it must be made clear that wearing a helmet is, undoubtedly, the best way to prevent injury during a motorcycle crash. In fact, those that wear helmets are statistically less likely to be involved in fewer crashes, and suffer fewer injury and death if they do crash. Other myths that suggest that helmets compromise safety are also untrue. Wind noise reduction improves the ability to hear road noise, not the other way around. By protecting your eyes and face, distractions such as insects are reduced.

As for the quality of the helmet you choose, there are actually very few guidelines to follow to assure the helmet will do its job. The first is certification by either the Department of Transportation (DOT) or by the Snell Foundation.

The D.O.T. sticker on the back of a helmet assures that by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 218, the helmet must soak up a significant amount of impact energy, prevent most penetration, and have a fastening system that will withstand significant force. The Snell certification is very similar to D.O.T. except for slightly different, yet very comprehensive testing. Both certifications, regardless of how inexpensive the helmet, provide extensive protection in a collision.

For those wondering why a helmet requires certification, it has to do with the helmet’s anatomy. More specifically, a legitimate motorcycle helmet features a expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam liner. It is that liner that, when in a crash, permanently deforms to absorb the impact. In fact, once a helmet has been involved in one collision, the EPS in the are of impact is deemed useless and the helmet must be replaced. Regardless of impact involvement, a helmet should be replaced every 5 years.

So, if you are looking for helmets according to price, at the very least be sure that they are D.O.T. or Snell certified (or both!). Snell certified helmets can be found online ranging from $110 to upwards of $700.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Greg Owen

Wear a helmet--save your life

John Demas — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 11:49:57 GMT

We see a number of different collisions that occur on California Highways including a lot of motorcycle crashes. Unfortunately, the injuries are usually much more severe with bike riders than people in cars. Broken bones and other serious orthopedic injuries are common. Motorcyclists often sustain head injuries but the severity of the head injury is frequently determined by whether the rider was wearing a DOT approved helmet.

The consequences of not wearing a DOT helmet were seen recently in Sacramento when a motorcyclist was killed in a low-speed collision after sustaining a head injury.

Riders--be smart, be safe and wear a DOT approved helmet!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Demas

California Traffic Deaths Hit Record Low in 2007

John Demas — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:57:04 GMT

The statistics for motor vehicle accident fatalities in California were recently released and showed a small drop in fatalities. Unfortunately there were still nearly 4000 deaths on California Highways last year.

Although traffic deaths hit a record low in 2007, motorcycle accidents and deaths increased nearly 25%. This is consistent with what we are seeing here in Sacramento County as well surrounding counties. Not only are we representing more families who have lost loved ones in motorcycle accidents, we are also seeing more motorcycle accidents and severe injuries from motorcycle accidents.

This could be attributed to a number of factors including the fact that more people are driving motorcycles because of high gas prices but unfortunately appear to be driving without proper training. If you are under 21, you must complete mandatory training to obtain your drivers license. If you are over 21, there is no mandatory training. However we urge everyone who is considering purchasing a motorcycle to obtain the proper training --even if you think you know how to ride. There are number of training facilities in the Sacramento area.

A nice website put out by the California DMV regarding motorcycle safety and training includes a section to find a rider course near you.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Demas

Accident on U.S. 50! Wow, what a week...

Amber Wheat — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:59:12 GMT

Friday afternoon, on my way home from work, I witnessed a car vs. motorcycle collision. It happened right in front of me. I am so thankful that I didn’t freak out or hit anybody. At first I was shocked. The motorcyclist spun out. He separated from his bike really quickly, then his bike skidded across three lanes of traffic while the rider rolled and rolled on the ground. For a moment I thought I may have actually witnessed someone dying right in front of me.

I was so scared. All four lanes on the freeway were stopped. Two people got out of their cars and helped the motorcyclist get himself and his bike out of the road. He was very lucky. He only broke his arm. The people in the car made their way over to the shoulder and I made my way over as well. Many times in collisions it is one driver’s word against the other driver’s. If you ever witness an accident and know you saw something important for the CHP or the police to know, please stop. An uninterested third party can help them paint an accurate portrait of what happened.

I am kind of proud of myself. After the CHP officer escorted me to my car, I got back on the freeway and even though I wanted to freak out a couple of times, I took some deep breaths and made myself calm down. Once I got home I told my mother what had happened and by that time it was less shocking and I didn’t even need to freak out. My mom was happy too, it calmed her fears that I wouldn’t be able to handle situations like that.

I stopped and gave a statement to the CHP because I knew it would be hard for them to write the report without it. Motorcyclist are much smaller than vehicles and often go unnoticed. I am absolutely sure the car that hit him did not know where he was. I also saw things just before the collision, so I could set up the scene. When something happens behind you, in your blind spot, there is nothing you can really tell the officers other than “I didn’t see anything.” You really have to rely on good citizens who saw what happened behind you to come forward and tell what they know.

Witnesses are important. Have you ever witnessed an accident? Did you stop? How did you react?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Amber Wheat