Articles Posted in Motorcycle accidents

The Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, proclaims May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, according to Bikeweek.com.

Our governor is using the month of May to recognize the large number of motorcycle riders operating in Florida. He also understands the safety and awareness concerns surrounding the dangers of motor vehicles sharing our roadways with motorcycles. Safety advocates understand the need for safer roads in Florida and are pushing awareness as a way to decrease the risk of motorcycle accidents in Fort Myers and elsewhere in the state.

“As a matter of safety, it is necessary to develop appropriate driving habits to handle these vehicles on Florida roadway,” Scott said. “To prevent injuries and deaths on Florida’s roadways, motorcyclists and motorists must be vigilant in their efforts to share the road and ensure the safety of everyone.”

Our Fort Myers personal injury lawyers know Florida is the riding capital of the United States; our state is home to more than 1 million licensed riders. For four decades, we have represented riders and their families in the fight against inattentive drivers and their insurance companies.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers a safety tips to every motorists to help the better understand motorcyclists:

-When you see a motorcycle on the road, treat it not just as a motorcycle but as another vehicle that could be your friend, relative or neighbor.

-When you do see a motorcycle, remember that it will probably look farther away than it actually is. When you’re looking to turn and see a motorcycle, predict it is closer than it appears.

-Because of their small size, a motorcycle can get lost in a car’s blind spots. Take an extra moment to double check for motorcycles when you’re changing lanes or making a turn.

-Remember that a turn signal on a motorcycle is not self-canceling like those on passenger-vehicles. When you see a motorcyclist with their signal activated, make sure it is for real.

-While motorcycles can maneuver easily, don’t assume that they’re showing off or being reckless as they oftentimes zigzag in their lanes to avoid debris and wind from passing cars.

-As motorcyclists slow down by downshifting instead of using their brakes, it is important not to follow too closely. Downshifting does not activate a brake light. For this reason, you should allow more following distance, say three or four seconds.

-The stopping distance for a motorcycle is just about the same as it is for cars. Wet pavement makes stopping a lot more difficult for bikes. Yet, another reason to not follow too closely.

-Bikes oftentimes appear to be traveling faster than they actually are. Don’t assume all motorcyclists are speed demons.

Out of all motor vehicles, motorcycles are the most vulnerable on our roadways. As they do not have seat belts, a rider can be easily be thrown from the motorcycle in a crash, which can result in serious injury — or death.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 5,300 motorcyclists killed, and an additional 96,000 injured, in 2008. Florida witnessed more than 520 of those fatalities that year.

Gov. Rick Scott and other Florida officials urge you to use the month of May to recognize the growing number of motorcycle riders in Florida, according to the Pensacola News Journal, especially as warmer weather and daylight savings encourage bikers to hit the open road.

A complete list of nationwide motorcycle events can be found on the BikeWeek website.
Continue reading ›

For the second year in a row, the Florida Department of Transportation hosted the “Ride Straight State to State: None for the Road Motorcycle Run,” in attempt to reduce the risks of a motorcycle accident in Fort Myers and elsewhere, according to the Westchase Patch.

The ride consisted of law enforcements and motorcyclists from Alabama, Georgia and Florida. They all met at the Florida Welcome Center on U.S. 231, at the Alabama-Florida state line.

Our Fort Myers personal injury attorneys urge all motorists to practice caution on our roadways and to be aware of all drivers on the road. Motorcyclists are especially at risk on our Florida roadways during this time of the year as the beautiful weather brings out motorists of all types.

Representatives from the Community Traffic Safety Teams, Florida’s Motorcycle Safety Coalition Members, Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Rider Training Program Personnel and local law enforcement agencies greeted cyclists as they arrived at the center. The motorcyclists rode together to the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally that was held in Panama City Beach.

Motorcycle accidents reportedly dropped 2 percent for the first nine months of last year, according to The New York Times. Officials believe this statistic is just a fluke; the number of fatal accidents has increased each year for more than a deacade.

More than 5,250 motorcyclists were killed, and another 96,000 injured, in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In the same year, Florida saw more than 520 of those motorcycle fatalities. The most recent statistics, provided by Florida Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles show that the 2009 motorcyclist fatality number dipped 24 percent to 402.

The Governors Highway Safety Association recently released a report stating there were 80 fewer motorcycle deaths from January to September of 2010 than the same time period of the previous year. While those statistics may be appealing to motorcyclists, they better read the fine print before getting too excited. Fatalities climbed back up during the last three of those nine recorded months. It’s that increase that caught the eyes of safety advocates.

“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.”

Overall, motorcycle fatalities have more than doubled since the late 1990’s. Now that the economy is starting to show signs of recovery, motorcyclists and safety advocates are concerned that the number of accident fatalities will rebound as well.

The Motorcycle Safety Group offers these tips to help motorists stay safe on our roadways:

-Always wear a helmet and make sure it is DOT approved.

-Steer clear of blind spots. Remember, if you can’t see a driver, then the driver can’t see you.

-Do not wear sunblock on your face inside your helmet. The sunblock vaporizes with the heat, keeping the vapor in your helmet and causing irritation that can hinder your vision.

-Be cautious near road construction areas.

-Be sure to clearly signal your next move. Other motorists are quick to look past you as you are such a small object on the road, in comparison. Make you’re movements known.
Continue reading ›

Southwest Florida is among the most dangerous areas in the state for serious and fatal motorcycle accidents, according to a recent analysis by The News-Press.

The Pine Island Road corridor has been particularly deadly, with 3 of 6 fatal Lee County motorcycle accidents occurring there so far this year. Our Cape Coral personal injury lawyers continue to urge motorists to use caution and watch for motorcycles throughout the winter riding season.

In 2009, a total of 14 of the state’s 402 fatal motorcycle accidents occurred in Lee County, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Six weeks into 2011, we are already just one fatal accident away from half that annual total. Statistics for 2010 will be released later this year.

Statistics show a car is at fault in more than half of all motorcycle accidents involving another vehicle. The Florida Highway Patrol reports safe riding habits — not tailgating, not speeding and riding defensively — can provide riders a better chance of avoiding an accident.

So far this year, fatal Lee County motorcycle accidents have occurred on Estero Boulevard in Bonita Springs, on Hancock Bridge Parkway in North Fort Myers and on College Parkway in South Fort Myers. The remaining three fatal crashes — half of Lee County’s total — occurred either on Pine Island Road or on Pine Island.

As we reported recently on our Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, authorities will be conducting an enforcement blitz, with particular emphasis on the Pine Island corridor, in an effort to prevent serious and fatal Cape Coral car accidents.

The News-Press points to a University of Michigan study that found a sharp rise in fatalities over the last decade was due in part to older riders with less experience taking to the road as motorcycling has gained in popularity.

While that may be true, our motorcycle accident lawyers have spent decades representing accident victims and their families and we know that inattentive motorists are all too often responsible for serious and fatal motorcycle accidents. The increase is attributable to more bikers on the road, of course. But it’s most likely the accidents are being caused by other drivers. Riders, after all, know the risks. And most are safe, considerate and conscientious riders.

Their life depends upon it.
Continue reading ›

A Fort Myers motorcycle accident has claimed the life of a Lehigh Acres man, according to The News-Press.

Our personal injury lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral continue to advocate for the rights of cyclists on the road. Motorcycling is a year-around activity in Southwest Florida. As we reported on our Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, Cape Coral Bike night drew 10,000 riders on Saturday night. Unfortunately the year-round riding weather also makes for year around danger.

Just last month, a Cape Coral motorcycle accident claimed the life of a corrections officer.

In this latest accident, the 35-year-old Lehigh man was killed when his motorcycle collided with a Mazda van at College Parkway and South Pointe Boulevard. A passenger was transported to the hospital.

Cause of the crash remains under investigation.

ABATE of Florida offers the following tips for motorcycle safety and awareness:

-Obey all traffic laws and signals.

-Constantly watch for motorcycles.

-Remember, it can be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed, in part because they are smaller than cars.

-Look — and then look again — before pulling out or turning at an intersection.

-Allow at least three-second’s distance when following a motorcycle.

-Remember, there are 7 to 9 blind spots around the average vehicle.

-Give motorcycles the same respect and courtesy you want for yourselves and other vehicles on the road.
Continue reading ›

Our Cape Coral motorcycle accident lawyers and the staff at the law offices of Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, would like to extend our condolences to the family of Scott Wheeler, an off duty correction’s deputy who was killed in a motorcycle accident on Wednesday.

The News-Press reports Wheeler’s Yamaha motorcycle collided with a vehicle making a left turn onto Pine Island Road from Skyline Boulevard. The crash happened just before 6 p.m. The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed.

Wheeler, 24, has been a correction’s officer since 2008 and leaves behind a fiance, who is pregnant, and two children, ages 4 and 5.

The death was the first traffic fatality of the year in Cape Coral and the third in Lee County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. It also serves as a tragic reminder to ” Watch for Motorcycles” throughout South Florida’s winter riding season.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 5,290 riders were killed in 2008 and more than 96,000 were seriously injured. Florida motorcycle accidents accounted for 523 riding deaths. Only California (537) reported more fatal accidents.

Motorcycles can be hard to see. And their small size makes judging speed difficult at best. As we reported last fall on our Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, the winter is prime riding season in Florida.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s “10 Things All Car, Truck and Bus Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles” are worth repeating often.

-When a motorcycle is involved in an accident with another vehicle — the driver of the other vehicle is usually to blame.

-Motorcycles can be hard to see and can hide in blind spots. Look twice and use extra caution when pulling into the roadway.

-It’s tough to judge a motorcycle’s speed. Assume it’s closer than it appears.

-Don’t rely on a motorcycle’s brake lights — a rider often slows by backing out of the throttle and downshifting.

-Motorcycles often move around within their lane. Don’t crowd them.

-Turn signals on motorcycles do not shut off on their own. Make sure you know a rider’s intentions before proceeding.

-Don’t expect a motorcycle to be able to dodge out of your way.

-Don’t expect a rider to stop on a dime — a motorcycle requires about the same distance to stop as a passenger car.

-Visualize a motorcycle as a person — the rider is just as vulnerable.

-Motorcycle accidents typically result in very serious or fatal injury to the rider. Don’t subject yourself to that guilt for the sake of saving a few seconds of drive time.
Continue reading ›

We’ve made it! The National Weather Service has called an end to the rainy season two weeks ahead of schedule, ushering in the lower humidity, more reasonable temperatures and light breezes that make October in South Florida the reason so many of us live here. The next six weeks, until the arrival of our winter friends and the start of heavy traffic and tourist season, are among the nicest weeks of the year.

Our biker friends think so, too. And October is a prime time for riding and a great time for motorists to remind themselves that the South Florida motorcycle season runs year around. In fact, most riders prefer the winter season in Florida. It’s cooler and the lack of rain makes it safer. Unfortunately, motorists who fail to watch for riders are frequently responsible for causing motorcycle accidents in Fort Myers or elsewhere in South Florida.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 5,290 riders were killed in 2008 and more than 96,000 were injured. Florida motorcycle accidents accounted for 523 fatalities, or 1 in 10 fatal motorcycle accidents that occurred nationwide. Only California reported more riding deaths.