Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accident

A recent motorcycle accident in Randolph landed a 62-year-old man in the Boston Medical Center. The man was injured after colliding with a motor vehicle at the intersection of Pond Street and North Main Street at approximately 4 p.m. Traffic was slowed and rerouted through a detour while the accident was investigated, according to Enterprise News.

Our Boston injury attorneys ask that all motorists keep an eye out for motorcycle riders during these last few weeks of riding season. Riders are unable to navigate our roadways year round, so when the weather permits, they hit the open road in full force. Unfortunately, motorcyclists are extremely vulnerable to serious injuries in the event of a traffic accident. Typically, these motorcycle riders are often overlooked by car and truck drivers because of the bikes’ smaller size. Motorists are asked to remain aware of their surroundings to help keep our riders safe while they’re still able to ride.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has conducted a number of studies on the dangers and riding techniques of our motorcyclists. Transportation officials understand the risks that these motorists face for a serious accident on our roadways and are making strides in helping to preserve their safety.

According to MassDOT, a rider is most likely to experience an accident when:

-A vehicle makes a left-hand turn in front of a motorcyclist.

-A motorcyclist gets stuck in a vehicle’s blind spot.

-A motor vehicle follows too closely behind a motorcycle.

-Turn signals are not used.

-You fail to acknowledge road laws.

-There are dangerous road conditions, including railroad tracks, wet leaves, potholes and other obstructions.

-Weather conditions are poor.

-Your line of vision is obstructed. Oftentimes, sport utility vehicles, commercial trucks and delivery vans can block a motorist from seeing a motorcyclist.

The DOT offers this advice to motorists to help avoid an accident with a motorcyclist:

-Remember that motorcycles can easily be overlooked on our roadways.

-Our eyes are conditioned to spot other passenger-vehicles. Take the extra time to watch carefully for motorcyclists and other travelers in smaller vehicles.

-Be aware of the road, traffic and weather conditions, all three of which require drivers to be extra vigilant. Motorcyclists also have to adjust their driving skills. During these times it can be difficult to judge and predict when riders may take evasive action.

-Check twice, save a life.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, of the 334 roadway fatalities in Massachusetts in 2009, approximately 54 involved motorcyclists.

A number of these accidents, both of passenger-vehicle and of motorcycle riders, can be reduced and potentially prevented if we all take a look at our own driving habits and make a conscious effort to make them more aware, more cautious and more defensive.
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A motorcycle accident in Stoughton sent two motorcyclists to the hospital after they were hit near the intersection of Warren Ave. and Washington St. on Route 138 by a car that left the scene, according to the Stoughton Patch. Stoughton Police and Fire responded to the motorcycle accident and sent the two motorcyclists to the hospital with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.

Our Boston motorcycle accident attorneys would like to point out that this accident happened around 12:30 p.m., which illustrates the dangers that motorcyclists face on our roadways. Motorcyclists are most likely involved in car accidents in broad daylight. Because of their small size, motorists oftentimes overlook these two-wheeled travelers.

The male motorcycle driver was taken to Good Samaritan in Brockton. The female passenger was taken to Boston Medical Center in Boston.

According to the Executive Officer Robert Devine of the Stoughton Police Department, the car “took a sharp turn [a left turn] onto Warren Ave. from Route 138,” and failed to yield to the oncoming motorcycle.

The driver of the motorcycle swerved to avoid hitting the vehicle, but the motorcycle fell to its side and struck another car. Devine said the incident is still under investigation.

The Stoughton Police are on the hunt for the driver of the vehicle that allegedly caused the accident. They say they’ve been informed that it was an elderly woman that was driving a blue Mercury or Buick with a license plate ending in “120,” They plan to cite her with failing to yield to an oncoming motorcycle.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 5,500 motorcyclists killed in 2008. This is the most recent data provided by the Administration regarding these accidents. During that year, roughly 96,000 motorcyclists were injured on our roadways. If you calculate it by per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are nearly 40 times more likely to die in a motor-vehicle accident than an occupant of a passenger vehicle. Massachusetts witnessed more than 40 motorcycle deaths in 2008 alone.

Motorists play a huge rule in the safety of motorcycle riders. By raising awareness of the presence of motorcyclists on our roadways, we can help to encourage passenger-vehicle motorists to driver safer and more cautiously in an attempt to keep our roads safe and accident free.

Motorists are urged to follow these safety tips to help to avoid an accident with a motorcyclist:

• Always check for motorcyclists in your blind spots. Because they’re so small, they can oftentimes get lost in these spots and are ignored by motorists.
• Allow a motorcycle to occupy the entire lane. Do not share lanes with a motorcyclist. Treat them as you would any other motorist.
• Do not follow too closely. They have a harder time stopping on slippery, wet pavement.
• Remember that motorcyclists will oftentimes slow their vehicle by downshifting instead of using their brakes. This means there will be no brake light activated. This is another reason you should never follow too closely.
• Always assume they are closer than they appear. Because of their small size, these small vehicles can oftentimes appear to be farther away than they actually are.
• Be alert of a signaling motorcyclist. Their turn signals are not self-canceling like those on passenger vehicles. Make sure that a motorcyclist’s signal is for real.

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A man that was involved a motorcycle accident in Boston late last month has died. The Springfield man, 24-years-old, was involved in the accident on May 25th and was pronounced dead earlier this week, according to Mass Live.

The accident happened when a car collided with the motorcycle on Boston Road on that late evening in May. Police speculate that speed was a factor in the crash. The motorcyclist reportedly lost control of his vehicle while rounding a curve. He skidded for about 100 feet before coming to a stop near Dezi’s Jewelry Exchange and Pawn Shop.

Our Boston motorcycle accident attorneys understand that motorcyclist are more vulnerable to serious — if not fatal — accidents on our Massachusetts roadways. This is the second motorcycle-related fatality already this spring.

The motorcyclist was at the Baystate Medical Center in critical condition for about a week after the accident.

The motorcycle accident from earlier this year took the life of a 55-year-old rider back in April. In this accident, the motorcyclists collided with a truck towing a trailer on Route 9 in Ware. The truck reportedly jacknifed into the motorcycle’s lane. The rider died three days after this accident. Police are still investigating this accident.

Motorcycle riders are nearly 40 times more likely to die in a motor-vehicle accident than the occupants of the other vehicles reports Tim Aloisio of Monson, The Republican‘s motorcycle columnist and a member of the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association. He also reports that two-thirds of the time it is the fault of the automobile operators.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) projects that motorcycling fatalities declined from 5,290 in 2008 to 4,762 or fewer in 2009.

Here are some motorist safety tips, provided by Motorcycle Safety News, to help keep our motorcyclists safe on our roadways:

-Look, and look again, for motorcyclists when at intersections and when changing lanes.

-Motorcycles typically appear to be farther away than they actually are. This is because of their small size. Always assume that they’re closer than they appear.

-Take extra time to check your blind spots before maneuvering through traffic as bikes can easily get lost in these spots because of their small size.

-Bikes also seem to move faster than they actually are, again because of their size. Don’t assume that all bikers are speed demons.

-Motorcyclists often slow down by downshifting, which does not activate their brake lights. For this reason, allow more following distance when riding behind a bike.

-Motorcycle turn signals are not self-canceling like the ones on our vehicles are. Be sure that a motorcyclist signal is for real when moving around them.

-Don’t expect a motorcycle to always be able to dodge out of the way. Maneuverability may be one of their better characteristics, but it can’t always save them from a collision.

-Remember that the stopping distance is the same as that of a vehicle. Do not tailgate.
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A recent report from state transportation officials found that motorcycle deaths dropped 2 percent in the first nine months of last year, according to The New York Times. Many aren’t convinced, saying this decrease may just signal a blip and may mean absolutely nothing toward a lasting improvement in safety.

The Governors Highway Safety Association reports that there were 80 fewer motorcyclist fatalities in Boston and elsewhere in the United States from January through September of 2010 than the same time period of the previous year.

But wait, there’s a catch. While fatalities were down 25 percent during the first three months of the recorded period, they were down 1 percent during the second three months and up 3 percent during the last three months. This increase has many safety advocates worried.

“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.”

A spokesman for the safety group that issued the report, Jonathan Adkins, says that recreational motorcycle riding appears to have declined while the recession was at its worst. He adds that this may be the reason why the number of deaths decreased.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 5,300 motorcyclists were killed, and an additional 96,000 injured, in 2008. Massachusetts contributed more than 40 motorcyclist deaths to the national number in the same year. It is estimated that, nationwide, motorcycle helmets saved more than 1,800 motorcyclists in 2009 and could have saved an additional 823 if all were wearing helmets.

Currently, only 21 states require that helmets be worn by motorcyclists. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, only 13 of those states specify that the helmet needs to meet federal standards.
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