Articles Posted in Motorcycle Safety

Although the summer is officially over, there will still be some great weather here in Baltimore and the surrounding area as we head toward the winter months. Getting that last ride in prior to parking you bike for the season may cause some riders to ignore the potential dangers inherent to motorcycle operation. As Maryland personal injury and motorcycle accident attorneys, Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers understands what drives motorcyclists, and also what can hurt them.

Motorcycle-automobile accidents are frequent in the summer months, but they also occur in the cooler months as well. In fact, as the bulk of bikes get stored after the summer, four-wheeled motorists become less aware of bikes later in the season. A car-motorcycle accident is especially tragic because a motorcyclist has little protection against the mass of a car, SUV or pickup truck.

Whereas the driver of an automobile is usually protected from an impact, a motorcyclist usually receives a direct blow from another vehicle; and a rider may also be thrown a fair distance from the crash site. As a result, many motorcycle accidents have an especially high rate of injuries, including broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and other permanent injuries. Sadly, fatalities are very common when it comes to motorcycle accidents.

Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month is an annual occurance when state and local law enforcement agencies, along with highway safety officials throughout the Unitied States, and in cooperation with the federal government, make a concerted effort to remind motorcyclists and automobile drivers that they are obliged to share the roads safely with each another. May kicks off this annual campaign, which coincides with the season when Maryland motorcycle riders dust off their machines and get ready to take advantage of the warmer weather.

Other groups also getting behind this traffic safety effort to prevent Maryland motorcycle accidents are the Maryland Motor Truck Association and the Abate of Maryland. Together, they are reminding car, truck and bus drivers that due to a motorcycle’s smaller size, this type of vehicle can easily get lost in a larger motor vehicle’s blind spot or get covered behind trees, bushes and fences.

Of the 5,154 US motorcycle deaths that occurred in 2007, 88 of them were Maryland motorcycle deaths—a definite increase from the 58 Maryland motorcycle fatalities that happened in 2003. One reason for this is that motorcycle use has grown in popularity throughout the state.