Motorcycle Crashes Archives | DENENA | POINTS

North Freeway Motorcyclist seriously injured by Speeding Car

Early on Saturday morning a motorcyclist was seriously injured on the North Freeway in Houston due to a speeding car. According to news accounts of the crash, a witness saw the car weaving at high speed through traffic just before the accident. The driver was going very fast when the car plowed into the back of a motorcycle ahead of it, ejecting the rider. The motorcycle became stuck in the grille of the car, which continued to travel for about 300 yards after the high-speed collision.

The high-speed wreck left the biker in serious condition, and he was rushed to the hospital for his injuries. Authorities took the driver of the car, who remained uninjured, into custody to be tested for intoxication. Our Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys note that if the tests prove positive, the driver could be charged with intoxication assault. The crash shut down all main lanes of the freeway while the accident was investigated and the scene cleared. (Taylor Gibson, KPRC click2houston.com, 5/1714)

Drivers of other Vehicles are at fault in more than Half of Motorcycle Collisions

The North Freeway motorcycle wreck illustrates one of the ways in which the majority of bike collisions involving another vehicle are the fault of the other vehicle’s driver. Studies involving sober drivers of larger vehicles consistently show that those drivers very often fail to notice smaller motorcycles in time to avert crashes. If they do notice the motorcycle, they usually think it is farther away than it actually is, and fail to leave a large enough gap in traffic when turning, changing lanes, or merging onto a freeway. That problem could only be magnified when the driver of the larger vehicle is also intoxicated.

Intoxicated drivers tend to speed excessively, and often fail to note even the most obvious stimuli like red lights, large “wrong way” traffic warnings, and even flashing emergency lights at an accident scene.

As the North Freeway crash demonstrates, bikers are at a disadvantage in a crash with a larger vehicle. They don’t have the protection an enclosed vehicle provides, and they are often thrown from their bikes or trapped between vehicles. The disadvantage is much greater with a heavy truck than with a car. The motorcyclist stands almost no chance against a massive 18-wheeler.

In fact, on Friday evening in Bryan, Texas, a motorcyclist died in a crash with a truck at Democrat Road and Texas 21. The truck was undergoing inspection after the wreck. So perhaps a vehicle defect contributed to the accident. Authorities did not disclose the cause of the collision, which might not yet have been determined. (theeagle.com, 5/17/14)

Get the Information You need after a Serious Motorcycle Accident Injury

Don’t let yourself be the victim of a negligent driver. Check out the motorcycle accident section of our website and use our built-in search function to find the information you really need. In our FAQs, blogs, and informational articles, our Board Certified Houston motorcycle crash injury attorneys have all kinds of statistics and helpful information about accident causes, how to build a successful accident claim, how anti-biker bias might affect your claim, and steps you need to take to protect yourself after a serious crash.

Motorcyclist Critically Injured after Driver fails to Yield

Accident investigators indicated that on Tuesday in El Paso, Suzette Urista, 28, failed to yield to an oncoming motorcycle on Artcraft Road. She turned left in front of the bike without leaving enough space between the vehicles. The motorcyclist did not have time to evade the Dodge Avenger and crashed. He was ejected from his motorcycle and suffered life-threatening injuries in the wreck. After colliding, the two vehicles struck a Canutillo I.S.D. school bus that had been stopped at a light. (Jamel Valencia, Jesse Martinez and Elena Arteaga, kfoxtv.com, 5/7/14) The hearts and prayers of the Harris County motorcycle accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC are with Cesar Campbell, his family and his friends as they cope with the devastating crash.

Failure to Yield by Drivers of Larger Vehicles Continues to be one of the Top Causes of Motorcyclist Injuries and Deaths

TxDOT just launched a “Look Twice for Motorcycles” awareness campaign this month to enhance safety for bikers. But apparently, it will take more than the occasional safety campaign to change the habits and behavior of some drivers of traditional passenger vehicles.

Study after study has shown that during the complex activity of driving, drivers of enclosed vehicles are so busy trying to stay alert for dangers from vehicles as large or larger than their own that they routinely fail to notice smaller traffic like motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Our Harris County motorcycle accident lawyers caution that the consequences of that behavior are often deadly.

Motorcyclist accident fatalities increased by more than 40% in the 10 years from 2001 through 2010. And over 98% of motorcycle accidents with another vehicle result in injuries to the rider of the bike. Nearly half of those injuries are severe or life threatening. As the El Paso accident demonstrates, the biker is often ejected from the motorcycle at high speed during the crash. And even when he was wearing a helmet, as Mr. Campbell was, the very nature of the crash and the disproportionate impact forces exerted on a fragile human body could still result in serious injuries or death.

Around 75% of motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle. And in two thirds of those crashes, the cause is the driver of the larger vehicle failing to yield the right-of-way to the motorcyclist. Data from 2011 showed that other vehicles failing to yield and suddenly turning left in front of oncoming motorcycles, just like in the El Paso accident, caused 39% of all fatal two-vehicle motorcycle accidents.

The Harris County motorcycle accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC urge you to take note of the TxDOT safety campaign this month and Look Twice for Motorcycles. Click the link to learn more about what to do after a motorcycle accident to build a successful injury claim.

Wrong Way Driver hits 2 Motorcycles, Killing a Rider on FM 490

Just after noon on Tuesday, a westbound SUV on FM 490 suddenly swerved into oncoming eastbound traffic. The Cadillac Escalade crashed into two eastbound motorcycles, killing one driver and injuring the other, as well as injuring a passenger on one of the bikes. No charges were immediately filed. But our FM 490 motorcycle accident attorneys note that the accident was still being investigated. (Action 4 News, www.valleycentral.com, 1/14/14)

Our condolences go out to the family and friends of the man killed on his motorcycle, and our wishes for complete recoveries go out to the injured victims of the wreck. Wrong-way crashes are, hands down, some of the most deadly accidents there are. They usually happen head-on at high speeds without either driver having had a chance to slow down beforehand.

Concerned traffic safety officials have tried all sorts of things to try and deter wrong-way driving and cut down on the number of drivers who enter roads, especially highways, going the wrong way.

Here are some of the new approaches they have tried:

  • Making a doubled number of “Wrong Way” and “Do not Enter” signs and larger-dimension signs the standard safety requirement.
  • Installing illuminated “Wrong Way” signs that flash when a wrong-way vehicle is detected.
  • Posting controlled-access highway entrance signs on each side of entrance ramps. And applying red retro-reflective tape to the vertical posts of exit ramp signs.
  • Installing trailblazing lines or reflective markers that channel travel in an arc to guide motorists making left turns from the crossroad into an entrance ramp in order to prevent them from entering the exit ramp in error.

But their efforts have not yielded much improvement. Statistics show that around 60% of the wrong-way drivers involved in fatal accidents were drunk at the time of the crash. Drunken drivers are impaired, usually with limited focus and vision, and additional signs and wrong-way markers go unnoticed.

Among wrong-way drivers who are not impaired by drugs or alcohol, a large portion are unfamiliar with the route and disoriented. When they’re looking around for familiar landmarks to guide them, smaller “wrong way” and “do not enter” signs also might go unnoticed.

But in cases like the wreck on FM 490 where the SUV suddenly veered across the road into the path of the oncoming motorcycles, driver distraction might be to blame. Just taking your eyes off the road for a second to send or read a text can send you out of your lane and into oncoming traffic or a ditch. The FM 490 motorcycle accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC mention that this has happened in several prior fatal wrecks attributed to texting distraction and is one of the reasons campaigns against texting and driving are growing more frequent.

Click the link to learn more about the devastation caused by texting and wrong way driving.

Your Rights as a Motorcycle Passenger if You’re Injured in a Texas Crash

Anyone on a motorcycle faces a high risk of serious injury or death in the event of an accident. Riders are likely to be ejected from the bike on any strong impact, and don’t have an enclosed vehicle to protect them from the most severe consequences of a crash. You need to know your rights as a motorcycle passenger if you’re injured in a Texas crash.

The Houston motorcycle injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC emphasize that motorcycle drivers have a legal duty to take proper safety precautions for their passengers’ safety. If a driver is reckless, inebriated, or speeding and you get injured because of that, the motorcycle driver might be liable for the full costs of your medical expenses, lost wages, and other accident costs.

An injured passenger could seek monetary damages for the accident injuries in a civil lawsuit from the motorcycle driver, just as he could from a negligent car driver if a car struck the bike. Your financial compensation award could include amounts for:

  • Pain and suffering,
  • Medical expenses,
  • The costs of your ongoing medical treatment,
  • Lost wages,
  • Disfigurement, and
  • The value of your reduced earnings capacity due to disability, among other things.

But our Houston motorcycle injury attorneys caution that claiming the full financial recovery you deserve after an injury accident and actually receiving it are two very different things. In your claim, you are likely to encounter bias against motorcycles and those who ride them from insurance adjusters and civil lawsuit jury members alike. Those who don’t ride motorcycles themselves might fail to recognize that you should never have to bear the costly burden of injuries caused by another person’s irresponsible driving.

Contact the Experienced Houston Motorcycle Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a FREE and Confidential Initial Legal Consultation

We meet with you to discuss the specific facts of your accident and evaluate your eligibility for a full financial recovery for your undeserved injuries. Our 14 years of experience successfully resolving complex motorcycle accident injury cases could help guide you in making informed decisions for your financial future after a serious motorcycle crash injury. Call us today at 713-807-9500 or reach us anytime through our online contact form to schedule your free initial legal consultation.

Study Shows Negligent Driving Contributes to 37% of Motorcycle Crashes

Crash data from the GHSA (Governors Highway Safety Association) reveals that throughout the United States, motorcyclist traffic deaths increased by around 9% between 2011 and 2012. For example, our Houston motorcycle injury attorneys report that Maryland saw 61 fatal motorcycle collisions in the first 9 months of 2011 and 63 in the first nine months of 2012. A study in Frederick County, Maryland showed that that negligent driving was a factor in 37% of the motorcycle crashes. ​

By contrast, Texas, which has seen an alarming increase of 56% in the number of fatal motorcycle crashes since 2004, actually experienced a rare decrease of 6% in the number of fatal motorcycle crashes in 2012. Numbers were down to 460 in 2012 compared to 488 in 2011.

Sharp Increase in Fatal Motorcycle Crashes Leads to Government Concern

The Houston motorcycle injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC emphasize that the overall sharp increase in motorcyclist fatalities across the nation has led the federal government and state transportation authorities to focus on the causes of motorcycle accidents and on ways to prevent them. An examination of these issues by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office in Maryland found that negligent driving was a factor in 37% of motorcycle crashes. In Frederick County, 196 motorcycle crashes were reported between January 2008 and May 2013.

  • Failure to pay attention was listed as a factor in 37% of the Frederick County accidents, making inattentive driving a leading cause of such accidents and the resulting serious injuries and deaths.
  • Failure to maintain a single lane while driving was a factor in 30% of the accidents.
  • Driving too fast for conditions contributed to 18% of the crashes.
  • In Frederick County, the great majority of the accidents were single-vehicle crashes involving only the motorcycle. Only 28% of the County’s motorcycle accidents were collisions with another vehicle.
  • Most of the motorcycle accidents occurred in daylight between 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Half of the motorcycle crashes happened on the weekend.

Why are the Numbers of Fatal Motorcycle Collisions Rising Nationwide?

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, similarly to TxDOT, concluded that the reasons might be warmer weather in combination with an improving economy and/or more people taking to motorcycles to save on gas expenses. Our Houston motorcycle injury attorneys note that these factors would lead to more motorcycles on the road. But the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M is concerned that crash data might be undercounting motorcycles and the involvement of other vehicles in their crashes.

Past studies have indicated that very often crashes reported as single-vehicle motorcycle accidents were actually caused by an enclosed vehicle cutting off the bike and then traveling on without stopping as the motorcycle crashed. And road debris and obstacles also cause 5% or more of motorcycle collisions.

Contact the Houston Motorcycle Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a FREE Legal Consultation after a Serious Crash Injury

Chad Points and Tony Denena have been helping injured motorcyclists and their family members successfully make full financial recoveries after their accidents for more than 14 years. They know motorcycle accidents, their causes, how to conduct thorough accident investigations, and how to build strong, successful cases. They could help you too.

Contact Chad and Tony at 713-807-9500 or fill out the online contact form to schedule your free, no obligation legal consultation to discuss your accident and evaluate your potential for a full financial recovery. The Texas Board Certified attorneys at Denena Points, PC never charge you attorneys’ fees unless they win your case for you.

Increasing Motorcyclist Visibility Really Does Help Prevent TX Crashes

A study published by the PMC US, Motorcycle rider conspicuity and crash related injury: case-control study, is one of the studies to focus on whether the visibility of motorcyclists to drivers of enclosed vehicles plays a major role in collisions. Several studies have found that drivers of larger vehicles simply don’t perceive small motorcycles or bicycles or pedestrians. Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys report that this and other studies have found that increasing motorcyclist visibility really does help prevent Texas crashes.

In half of car drivers’ collisions with motorcycles, the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M University found that the car drivers said they hadn’t even seen the motorcycles before the crash.

The Hurt Report remains the major U.S. study on motorcycle accidents and injuries. It was conducted decades ago, but many of its overall conclusions remain valid. That study included one of the only studies of whether increasing motorcyclist visibility through wearing brighter and lighter clothing and helmets could help reduce the incidence of crashes. The Houston motorcycle accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that the Hurt Report concluded that brighter colors would help some, but the question was not a major focus of the study.

Motorcycle rider conspicuity and crash related injury: case-control study has taken a modern, in-depth look at the question of rider clothing and helmet colors and concluded that wearing lighter and brighter colors could reduce the number of crashes with other vehicles and resulting serious injuries and deaths by up to one third.

The Ideas Behind the Motorcycle Crash Study

A large amount of crash data and anecdotal evidence over the years has indicated that the relatively low physical conspicuity (or visibility) of motorcyclists to other vehicle drivers is a significant contributing factor in a large proportion of collisions causing injury or death.

Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys emphasize that the social and monetary costs of motorcycle crash injuries, disabilities, and fatalities are very high. Untimely deaths, hospital admissions and stays, lost income, rehabilitation and therapy, ongoing medical costs, property damage, legal expenses, family grieving, and suffering generate ongoing social and financial costs.

The relatively low visibility of motorcycles to drivers of larger vehicles might result from:

  • The smaller size of the motorcycle.
  • The irregular outline of the bike and biker.
  • Low luminance or contrast with the background environment.
  • The motorcycle’s ability to travel where larger vehicles cannot and to fit in smaller spaces between cars and trucks where other drivers are not expecting anything to be.

Traffic crashes take a disproportionate toll upon victims not protected by enclosed vehicles. The study examined whether inexpensive and easy protective measures that enhance a biker’s visibility, like use of headlights at all times and the use of bright, light, fluorescent, or reflective colors (in the helmet, rider clothing, and the motorcycle) could help increase motorcyclist conspicuity and decrease the risk of serious injuries or deaths. The Houston motorcycle accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC remark that the study found that such measures could in fact significantly reduce the risks of collisions, injuries, and death.

The Motorcycle Crash Risk Study and its Results

The study focused on motorcycle drivers and passengers in the urban area of Auckland, New Zealand and in the area immediately around the city. The study included motorcycle drivers and passengers who died in accidents, were admitted to hospitals, or treated in emergency rooms and who had an injury severity score of 5 or greater with 24 hours of a motorcycle crash. The studied cases involved 490 motorcyclists, including 32 who died, and 1,518 motorcycle driver control subjects. Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys note that the results of the study, though based in Auckland, could be generally applicable to other urban areas in industrialized nations.

The study found that 66% of the crashes occurred in urban areas with a 50-km/h speed limit, 63% happened during daylight hours, and 72% took place in good weather.

Around 80% of the 1,233 control drivers wore black, brown, or blue (dark) clothing on the upper body and black or blue (dark) clothing on the lower body. Data analysis discovered that motorcycle drivers wearing any reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk of collision, injury, and death. The protective factor of the reflective or fluorescent clothing increased as light conditions decreased, such as at twilight and dusk.

Motorcycle drivers reported the use of 3 main helmet colors: 39.8% black helmets, 30.6% white helmets, and 13.8% red. Those using a white helmet had a 24% lower risk of collision, injury, or death compared to those who wore black helmets. Use of a light colored helmet generally reduced crash risk 19% compared to use of a dark helmet.

About 75% of motorcyclists used their headlamps even during the day. The use of a headlamp during the day correlated with a 27% lower risk of crash injuries.

Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys mention that the study revealed no observable association between the frontal color and lightness of a driver’s clothing or motorcycle and the crash injury risk.

Conclusions of the Motorcycle Crash Risk Study

The researchers concluded from the data that wearing bright colors during the day, using the headlights during the day, and use of reflective or fluorescent clothing increase a motorcyclist’s visibility or conspicuity by increasing the contrast between the background environment and the surface of the rider or object the color is on. The data surprisingly indicated that use of a bright or light colored helmet strongly reduced crash risk, but that bright or light colors on the front of a biker’s clothing or on the bike itself did not make a significant difference.

The results of the study support the use of both passive and active collision injury prevention strategies such as laws requiring daylight use of headlights and measures like wearing bright or light colored helmets and clothing that encourage higher conspicuity of bikers. Learn more about what to do in the event of a serious motorcycle crash. Click the book icon on this web page to download your free guide from the Houston motorcycle accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC.

Fixed Objects like Dimwitted Bulls causing Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

Continued from Part 1. A crash earlier this week provided ample evidence of how fixed objects like dimwitted bulls standing in the roadway might cause fatal motorcycle accidents. Early on Tuesday before dawn, Timothy Martin, 43, was tragically killed in a crash in Honey Grove, Texas when his motorcycle collided with a dark and dimwitted bull standing in the roadway. Our Houston motorcycle injury attorneys note that the bull would likely have weighed much more than Mr. Martin and his motorcycle together.

The accident occurred on Highway 82 by the west Lamar County line. Timothy Martin was ejected from his bike by the violent collision and died at the scene of the tragic crash. A short time later, an 18-wheeler also crashed into the bull at Honey Grove. The truck driver was not hurt. Texas DPS troopers said that the owner of the bull might face charges. (kxii.com, 9/19/13) Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Martin’s family and friends at this time.

How Common are Fatal Fixed Object Collisions with Motorcycles?

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an organization very interested in determining the cause of accidents and better ways to prevent them because its industry has to pay the costs of the crashes. The IIHS found that in 2011, for example, 23% of all fatal motorcycle collisions were with fixed objects like concrete highway barriers, signposts, trees, and the occasional oblivious bull in the roadway. Our Houston motorcycle injury attorneys mention for comparison that only 16% of the fatal crashes of enclosed vehicles involved fixed objects. That’s a substantial difference.

Many of the enclosed vehicle crashes with fixed objects are due to driver distraction, drunkenness, or speeding. But the motorcycles’ crashes into fixed objects occur because the two-wheeled vehicles are less stable than four (or more) wheeled vehicles and because larger, enclosed vehicles often turn or stop suddenly in front of the bikes.

The Houston motorcycle injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC caution that drivers of larger vehicles chronically either fail to perceive smaller motorcycles or think that they’re farther away than they actually are. And the larger vehicles’ sudden turns cause the smaller bikes to try to make hasty evasive maneuvers that might send the motorcycle out of control to hit another object or a stopped or turning car.

Learn Important Pitfalls and Procedures in the Aftermath of a Serious Texas Motorcycle Crash

Download our FREE guide by clicking on the book icon on this web page. And feel free to contact us if you have questions about the motorcycle accident injury that harmed you or your loved one. The Houston motorcycle injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC provide a FREE, no obligation initial legal consultation to discuss the specific facts of your accident and evaluate your potential eligibility for the full financial recovery you deserve for your injuries or losses. And we never charge you attorneys’ fees unless we win your case for you. Call us at 713-807-9500 or reach us anytime through our online contact form.

Two Fatal Texas Motorcycle Accidents and What Made Them Happen

Car_vs_motorcykle_accidentRecently, two fatal Texas motorcycle accidents and what made them happen documented two major causes behind motorcycle injuries and fatalities: (1) drivers of enclosed vehicles making a turn who don’t see or make room for smaller motorcycles, and (2) fixed object crashes.

(1) 22-year-old Joseph Madrigal, who had just moved to Conroe, Texas, tragically lost his life there in a fatal motorcycle accident on FM 3083 between Pollock and FM 1484. Mr. Madrigal was westbound behind another vehicle that turned right onto Pollock as a Chevy pickup was turning east onto FM 3083. Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys note that the vehicle ahead of Mr. Madrigal had stopped for heavy traffic before turning. And Steven Garrett started to turn his Chevy pickup, apparently not seeing Joseph Madrigal on his motorcycle behind the other vehicle. Mr. Madrigal tried to evade the impending accident and hit his brakes about 50 feet before striking the front fender of the Chevy truck.

Joseph Madrigal died at the scene of the tragic motorcycle crash. Scott Engle of the Montgomery County Police Reporter (9/12/13) noted that Conroe police had been working at the very intersection of FM 3083 and Pollock that formed the scene of the accident for several weeks because drivers fail to stop at the stop signs there. A portable electric sign has even been placed before the stop sign to warn motorists of their legal duty to stop.

Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys remark that no charges have yet been filed, but the investigation into the accident is ongoing. FM 3083 was closed for about two hours as authorities investigated and cleared the scene. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Mr. Joseph Madrigal.

The Houston motorcycle accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) studies of motorcycle crashes have found that at least 40% of motorcycle accidents occur when another vehicle is turning in front of a bike and doesn’t leave room for the oncoming motorcycle. Specifically, in 2011 the IIHS found that 39% of all motorcycle collisions with other vehicles resulted because the larger vehicles were turning left in front of the oncoming bikes and did not leave room for the motorcyclists.

A number of studies have documented the causes for this failure among enclosed vehicle drivers: drivers of larger vehicles tend to keep watch for vehicles their own size or larger and fail to perceive smaller motorcycles, and because the motorcycles are smaller than they are, if they notice them, they perceive them as being farther away than they actually are.

Continue to Part 2 to read about a fatal and bizarre motorcycle crash with a fixed object (a bull).

2 Fatal Newton County ATV Wrecks in 1 Week Reveal ATV Safety Hazards

This past week, Newton County, Texas lost two of its young people, a 12-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy, to tragic ATV accidents. 12-year-old Tory Foster was on the back of a Honda ATV with 4 riders. He fell backwards off the ATV and received fatal injuries from the accident.

14-year-old Brandon McCain from Bon Weir was driving a Honda ATV on County Road 4067 when he was hit by a Toyota Camry in the intersection with FM 2460. Both Newton County boys were without helmets at the time of their accidents, and both died at the hospital in Jasper. (Source: www.12newsnow.com, 8/2/13) Our hearts and prayers are with the two boys’ families and the residents of Newton County after their tragic losses this week.

The Alvin, Texas ATV accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that while helmets could help reduce the risk of serious injuries in ATV accidents, the greatest threats to riders generally come from the danger of rollovers. For instance, as riders and passengers fall off during an ATV’s uphill climb, the vehicle often rolls back down on top of them. And ATVs in tight, fast turns sometimes spin their riders off and then run or roll over them.

Though ATVs perhaps don’t seem very threatening in comparison with enclosed passenger vehicles or semi trucks, our Alvin, Texas ATV accident attorneys point out that an ATV is still a heavy vehicle containing lots of metal. The fragile human body is vulnerable next to the power of an ATV. And many serious injuries occur when an ATV throws a rider off at high speed.

Some models of ATVs include high backs with safety harnesses and/or seat belts. And some have roll bars to try and help prevent accidents. But ATVs have a high center of gravity, which makes them likely to turn over or tip into a roll on steep inclines, tight curves or turns, or at high speeds. And by their nature, ATVs are designed to be taken off-road where uneven terrain and mud increase their chances of crashing.

Studies have shown that younger drivers (under age 16) don’t have the proper arm reach, strength, or weight to safely control an adult-sized ATV. Our Alvin, Texas ATV accident attorneys emphasize that young riders need youth-sized ATVs for their safety.

Because they are designed to be open, hardy, All Terrain Vehicles, ATVs will tend to remain potentially dangerous even when safety features like roll bars and seat belts are added. To reduce your risks, the Alvin, Texas ATV accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC urge you to take an ATV rider safety course if possible; wear a helmet while riding; don’t take needless risks as you ride; and learn the limitations of yourself and your vehicle. Click the link to learn some useful ATV safety tips.

Texas Motorcycle Crash Deaths Down in 2012, but Among Highest in U.S.

May is Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month, and the Texas Department of Public Safety is reminding drivers of other vehicles to use extra caution around motorcycles. The DPS push augments the TxDOT “Share the Road” and Look Twice” campaigns that target driver awareness of small vehicles and motorcycle safety. TxDOT credits its motorcycle safety campaigns for some of the drop in Texas motorcycle fatalities in recent years.

Our Pearland, TX motorcycle accident attorneys sadly note that 460 people died in motorcycle crashes in Texas in 2012, down from 488 in 2011. Texas is one of only 16 states to see a drop in motorcycle fatalities in recent years, though Texas still is among the top three states in the overall number of motorcycle accident fatalities. 2012 numbers, when finalized, are expected to reveal that more than 5,000 motorcyclists died on U.S. roads last year. And Texas, even with its declining numbers, picks up almost 10% of that total.

The Texas DPS and TXDOT urge particular caution at intersections and when changing lanes, two of the places where most motorcycle crashes occur. In half of all Texas motorcycle accidents with another vehicle, the driver of the other vehicle claims to have not ever seen the motorcyclist prior to the wreck. Our Pearland, TX motorcycle accident attorneys point out that research studies demonstrate that drivers of larger vehicles often don’t perceive the smaller vehicles. They’re keeping watch for vehicles their own size or larger.

Motorcycles account for fewer than 3% of the vehicles on our roads, yet they make up 13% of traffic deaths. And 89% of Texas motorcycle crashes cause injury or death.

Learn More about Motorcycle Safety and What to Do after an Accident

 

Download our FREE guide with the 4 most important do’s and don’ts for motorcycle accident injury claims. Don’t hesitate to contact our Pearland, TX motorcycle accident attorneys for a free, no obligation initial legal consultation to discuss your specific motorcycle accident injuries.

 

We could evaluate your potential eligibility for a fair financial recovery from the accident and guide you through some of the next steps you need to take to protect your rights and gather evidence for your claim, Put our more than 15 years of experience on your side. Call us today at 281-369-4363 or reach us anytime through our online contact form.