While motorcycle accidents in Dallas and elsewhere in the country continue to occur at an alarming rate, the first nine months of last year reported a 2 percent drop. This is the first drop in motorcycle accident in more than a decade. However, officials believe it could be a short reprieve, according to The New York Times.
The first nine months of last year reported 80 fewer motorcycle deaths than that of the previous year, according to the report released by the Governors Highway Safety Association.
This news comes in the wake of the amazing survival of a Texas motorcyclist who was caught between two cars on a Dallas highway, smashed and thrown off his motorcycle, according to ABC News. The 25-year-old motorcyclist was first struck by a car from behind. When the car didn’t slow down, he was smashed into a green car that was in front of him. The Army veteran was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital. Doctors are reporting that it was his helmet that saved his life. This entire incident was caught onsurveillance video.
Our Dallas personal injury lawyers would like to inform you that the number of motorcycle accidents started to creep back up in the last three months of that study. The number of fatal motorcycle accidents had increased each year for more than a decades.
“The drop is all in the front half of the year,” said report author Jim Hedlund, a safety consultant. “It looks very much as if we’ve hit bottom and may be starting back up again.”
The study revealed that motorcycle accident were down 25 percent during the first three months of last year. They remained down 1 percent for the next three months and rose 3 percent during the three months after that.
Yearly motorcycle fatalities have more than doubled since the late 1990s, peaking in 2008 with more than 5,300 deaths. The cause of the drop is still under debate. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that another 96,000 motorcyclists were injured in 2008. In that same year, Texas experienced nearly 500 motorcycle fatalities. It is important to remember that more than half of all motorcycle accidents involving another vehicle are the fault of the other driver.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers 10 tips that every car and truck driver should know about motorcycles:
-When a motorcycle is on the road don’t think of it as a motorcycle, think of it as another car or truck.
-While maneuverability may be an excellent quality of a motorcycle, don’t expect them to always be able to dodge out of the way.
-Turn signals on motorcycles are not always self-canceling like they are on cars and trucks, make sure that their signal is for real.
-Because of a motorcycle’s small size, it may appear to be going faster. Don’t conclude that all motorcyclists are speed demons.
-Because of their small size they may also appear to be farther away than they actually are. Always predict they are closer than they appear.
-Always double check for motorcyclists when making turns and at intersections as they can be overlooked.
-Be aware of what’s in your blind spots. Again, because of their small size they can oftentimes get lost in your vehicles blind spots. Always double check.
-Remember that motorcyclists often slow down by letting off the throttle instead of braking. This will not activate their brake light and is why it is important you don’t follow too closely.
-Motorcyclists adjust their positioning in a lane to minimize effects of road debris, wind and passing vehicles. Don’t always assume that they’re maneuvering simply to be reckless or to show off.
-The stopping distance for a motorcycle is the same is it is for a car, but wet pavement can make stopping much more difficult for them. Make sure you follow behind them at a safe distance as motorcycles can’t stop on a dime.
If you or your child has been involved in a motorcycle accident, contact Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer Mike Goolsby of The Goolsby Law Firm for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. Call (972) 492-8758.
