US motorcycle fatalities not declining as other vehicle fatalities are

Houston motorcycle injury lawyers note that the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) has released a preliminary report on annual U.S. motorcycle fatality numbers using data from the first 9 months of 2011. This report estimates that 2011 will show about 4,500 motorcycle accident fatalities, the same number as for 2010.

By contrast, overall motor vehicle highway fatality rates declines 1.7% in 2011. The overall motor vehicle fatality number for 2011 stands at the lowest number since 1949. Our Houston motorcycle injury lawyers point out that this low number is a remarkable achievement given the far larger number of vehicles on U.S. roads now than in 1949.

The GHSA is an organization linking the highway safety offices of U.S. states, territories, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The GHSA Chairman, Troy Costales, lamented the lack of progress in motorcycle safety in an MSNBC post on the topic. He pointed to some key factors, remarked in the GHSA study, that seem to contribute to the lack of decline in motorcycle fatality numbers:

A strengthening economy allowing more disposable income for purchasing bikes,
High gas prices that encourage riding of bikes with greater fuel economy, and
Laws that do not require all motorcycle riders to wear helmets.

Many bikers are vociferous in their defense of their perceived right to ride without a helmet. But what if the laws that allowed them to ride without helmets also provided that they were solely responsible for paying the costs of medical treatment for accident injuries attributable to the lack of a safety helmet at the time of the crash. And that if they couldn’t pay, they wouldn’t receive treatment? Our Houston motorcycle injury lawyers wonder, “Would these riders start wearing helmets?”

The dangers of motorcycle accidents and severe motorcycle injuries out on the roads are very real. Our Houston motorcycle injury lawyers understand that most bikers clearly perceive the dangers. A few of the recognized dangers include:

• Other motorists’ failure to perceive the presence of the smaller vehicles in time to prevent wrecks,
• An inherent lack of stability in 2-wheeled vehicles in comparison to 4-wheeled vehicles. A motorcycle hitting a loose patch of gravel, a small oil slick, or a wet patch of road is more likely to lose traction and crash than a car or a truck,
• The greatly increased chance of vehicle ejection from a motorcycle and the accompanying increased chance of severe head and spinal injuries upon landing, and
• The lack of protection offered to a biker exposed to a crash in comparison to that offered to the occupant of an enclosed vehicle.

Motorcycle accidents generally present higher probabilities of catastrophic injury or fatality to the vehicles’ riders than car or truck accidents. A biker involved in a crash with a larger, heavier vehicle will tend to suffer disproportionately due to the other vehicle’s greater mass and momentum. The severity of motorcycle accident injuries can lead to huge financial burdens, permanent disabilities, and the need for ongoing medical care.

The injured biker will need to seek all of the financial compensation for the accident for which he might be eligible. It’s helpful for the motorcycle accident victim to have the resources of an experienced and knowledgeable Houston motorcycle injury lawyer at his disposal. The skill and expertise of Texas Board Certified personal injury lawyers like Tony Denena and Chad Points could make all the difference to an injured biker needing to make a successful accident injury claim. Contact Chad and Tony today at 877-307-9500 or use our online contact form to schedule a free and confidential consultation regarding your accident.