Biker Accident News: Three Separate Bike Crashes Illustrate the Dangers of Motorcycling in Maryland

We won’t argue that riding a motorcycle anywhere in the U.S. can be a risky proposition; however, we do understand that everyone is free to make that choice for themselves. As a biker, just as any motorist, an individual relies on the rules of the road to help protect him or her from accidents or other roadway mishaps. Unfortunately, nobody lives in a perfect world, and as such traffic accidents, bodily injuries and fatalities can and do occur with alarming rapidity.

Knowing that motorcyclists deserve the protection under the law, as Maryland personal injury attorneys and auto accident lawyers, I and my legal staff are prepared to represent those people who have been hurt in automobile, motorcycle, and commercial trucking wrecks. In cases where the rider died as a result of another person’s negligence, we typically represent the family of the deceased when they file a wrongful death lawsuit or other legal action against the negligent party or parties.

Now, it’s all well and good to say that individuals who ride a Harley-Davidson, Ducatti, Yamaha or Vespa take their lives into their own hands when venturing out onto the streets, but just as a rider accepts the consequences of his or her own actions, any driver who knowingly flouts the law or acts in a reckless manner on a public roadway must, too, be prepared to answer for any injuries or fatalities he may have caused while doing so.

Whether one lives, works, shops or goes to school in and around Baltimore, Rockville or even Washington, D.C., the dangers of a potential motorcycle or passenger car accident are ever-present. For their own safety, most bikers make an ongoing assumption… that nobody driving a car or truck sees or pays attention to a person on a motorcycle. Considering that one is essentially invisible can and does heighten a rider’s alertness to many dangers that four-wheelers rarely, if ever, consider.

But regardless of how well a motorcycle rider tries to keep himself alive, fate sometimes conspires against even the best of riders. We are reminded of this numerous times every month when we read of serious or fatal collisions between cars and motorcycle, or sometimes just a single-bike crash that takes the life of the biker. The following are just a few of the numerous news articles we see every year illustrating the potential hazards and consequences of motorcycle riding.

Man Dies following Harford County Truck-Bike Crash

A 69-year-old man from Whiteford, MD, died on a Saturday afternoon when his mount reportedly strayed across the centerline along a stretch of Dublin Rd and struck an oncoming dump truck. According to police reports, the crash occurred around 1pm as Ronald Krulock was heading eastbound toward Conowingo Rd. News reports indicate that Kyulock was ejected from his bike and throw some distance. Emergency crews transported the victim to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, but doctors could do nothing for him and he was pronounced dead not long after being admitted.

Laurel Biker Killed in Possible Drunk Driving Accident

According to news reports, a 24-year-old Prince George’s County motorcyclist died in a late-night traffic accident when his Kawasaki slammed into a guardrail along a portion of the Beltway’s outer loop in Silver Spring, MD. According to reports from the Maryland State Police, the man was thrown from his bike upon impact. Police also believe that speed and maybe even alcohol could have been contributing factors in the fatal crash.

Following the single-vehicle wreck, Kevin Hinnant, was taken to Suburban Hospital for treatment of critical injuries. Sadly, doctors and hospital staff could not save the victim, and he died a short time after being brought in to the hospital by EMS crews. Based on news reports, Hinnant had survived a previous collision, apparently also on a motorcycle, when he ran over a pothole and crashed — according to news reports, that 2009 accident left him with a concussion, from which he eventually recovered.

Single-bike Crash Kills Carroll Co. Rider

In a bike crash that occurred along a stretch of Maryland’s Rte 30 in Hampstead, a rider was fatally injured in a Sunday afternoon traffic accident. According to police reports, the wreck occurred around 4pm, when a 48-year-old Manchester, MD, biker apparently lost control of his Harley, which subsequently struck a curb and sent the man flying off the bike.

While police accident investigators were still in the process of determining the exact cause of the crash at the time of the news article, a single-vehicle accident can sometimes be the result of a mechanical failure, such as a blown tire, suspension problem or stuck throttle. Whatever the reason, the bike reportedly crossed the double-yellow centerline and hit the curb of the opposing lanes. The rider died at the scene.

Motorcyclist killed in Harford County crash, BaltimoreSun.com, February 18, 2012
Carroll County Man Killed in Motorcycle Crash, Patch.com, January 16, 2012
Laurel mother hopes son’s fatal motorcycle crash serves as warning, Gazette.net, December 30, 2011

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