Chicago Accident and Injury Lawyer Blog

While the title may be encouraging, it may also be misleading. It is true that motorcycle deaths have fallen by roughly 10% nationally and closer to 18% in the Six County Chicagoland area from 2008 to 2009. The Illinois State Police did have a campaign to reduce motorcycle accidents and fatalities in 2009.

Perhaps the safety tips are working, but the fact of the matter is the staggering economy has something to do with the decrease in deaths. Motorcycles, for many, are a discretionary item. Discretionary items are some of the first things that are eliminated when one’s pocketbook is hit.

On a different but related note, there are better motorcycle helmets. There are newer safety campaigns aimed at auto drivers being more aware and more conscious of motorcyclists.
Finally, one cannot count out our “weather” for the drop in motorcycle deaths. Since the 2009 riding season, it has been colder and wetter than normal. This may yet be another factor in reducing the number of motorcyclists on the road.

The Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll handles transportation negligence personal injury and wrongful death matters.

With the weather turning warm and more hours of daylight, more and more people will take to the roads on their motorcycles. Sadly, it seems like every weekend we are reading about someone being killed or seriously injured in a motorcycle crash. There were 5,290 motorcycle crash fatalities in the U.S. in 2008 alone. There are many causes to motorcycle accidents; bad roads, motorist inattention, excessive speed, bad weather, etc. Whatever the reason, the statistics are mounting at a somewhat rapid rate. In fact, motorcyclist fatalities now account for 10% of all motor vehicle traffic crash fatalities.

Typically, most of the fatalities involve motorcyclists age 20 to 29according to statistics kept by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. With the lack of experience most of the motorcyclists have, it does not take much thought to figure out that motorcycles have the potential to be death traps. Here are some ways that motorcyclists can make this hobby safe and enjoyable:

1. Watch Your Speed - Motorcycles accelerate the fastest of all vehicles on the road. Trucks and buses accelerate the slowest. Be careful and maintain a safe speed.

2. Check Yourself and Your Bike - Do a quick safety inspection of your bike before going out for a ride and wear protective clothing and a helmet. Proper maintenance and protective clothing will reduce the chance of a crash and diminish the severity of an injury if you are involved in a crash.

3. Drive to Survive - Motorcycles are the smallest vehicles on the road and provide virtually no protection in a crash. Often, other drivers will not see your motorcycle in their rear or side view mirrors. Ride with caution and drive defensively. This will prevent other drivers from causing an accident with you.

4. Watch the No-Zones - Never hang out in a truck's blind spot or "no-zone. Trucks have large no-zones on both sides, in front and behind. If you are riding in a no-zone the truck driver cannot see you. Take particular caution if you are riding near trucks. Many crashes occur when motorcycles are riding in a truck's front no-zone and need to stop. Motorcycles can stop much faster than a truck and crashes often occur when truck driver's can't see the motorcycle in their no-zone and can't stop in time to avoid a crash.

Continue reading "MOTORCYCLISTS BEWARE: SUMMER TRAFFIC SEASON IS HERE" »

Oprah Winfrey highlighted the dangers of distracted driving on her January 18, 2010 show. Oprah is asking everyone to take a "no phone zone" pledge promising to not text or talk on the phone while driving.

As a Chicago personal injury attorney, I have seen the devastating effects of distracted driving and have made an effort to increase public awareness of the problem on this blog. From Boston, to California, here in Illinois, and around the world, distracted driving is a serious problem. It is great to see Oprah focusing everyone's attention on this serious hazard.

Remember, while texting and talking are serious forms of distracted driving and behavior that need to be stopped, please do not do anything that diverts your attention from the road in front of you!