Richmond Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Call for Focus on Reducing Motorcyclist ... - PR Web (press release)

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) June 01, 2012

The Richmond motorcycle accident lawyers of Marks & Harrison said today that a recent study showing stagnation in progress against motorcycle deaths in the U.S. underscores the need to increase awareness of motorcycle safety issues.

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) said in a May 22 report that no progress was made in reducing motorcyclist deaths in 2011. Preliminary data from the 50 states and the District of Columbia indicate there were about 4,500 motorcycle fatalities in 2011, the same as in 2010, the report said.

Earlier in May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) projected that overall motor vehicle fatalities had declined 1.7 percent in 2011 to their lowest level since 1949.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) said in May that motorcycle crashes increased by 15 percent in 2011 compared to 2010 in the Commonwealth, with 90 motorcycle riders killed and 2,036 injured.

Approximately 80 percent of motorcycle crashes injure or kill a motorcycle rider, while only 20 percent of passenger car crashes injure or kill a driver or passenger, the DMV said.

The Richmond personal injury lawyers of Marks & Harrison support the GHSA's recommendation that states address five issues to reduce motorcycle accident fatalities and injuries:

•     Increase helmet use. The NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,829 motorcyclists' lives in 2008 and another 822 of the motorcyclists without helmets who died in that year would have survived had they worn helmets. Virginia law requires motorcycle drivers and riders to wear helmets.
•     Reduce alcohol impairment. In 2010, 29 percent of fatally injured riders had a blood alcohol concentration at or above the legal limit of .08, the highest of all motorists, DMV statistics show.
•     Reduce speeding. The GHSA says that 35 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding.
•     Provide motorcycle operator training to all who need or seek it. All states offer training, but class times and locations are often inconvenient, the GHSA says.
•     Encourage all drivers to share the road with motorcyclists. According to NHTSA, when motorcycles collide with other motor vehicles, the latter usually violates the motorcyclist's right of way. Many states conduct "share the road" campaigns to increase awareness of motorcycle safety.

Marks & Harrison, a 100-year-old Richmond personal injury firm that pursues legal claims on behalf of motorcycle accident victims, said that investigations of motorcycle accidents often points to the fault of other motorists.

The firm said that, like education efforts, holding motorists accountable when their negligence or recklessness causes injuries or fatalities to motorcyclists is a just and proper means of increasing motorcycle safety awareness.

Injured motorcyclists, or those who have lost family members in motorcycle wrecks, should contact an experienced Virginia motorcycle accident lawyer who will protect their rights and work diligently to seek justice for them, the firm said.

About Marks & Harrison

Established in 1911, Marks & Harrison represents clients in a variety of different practice areas, including personal injury, wrongful death, car accidents, tractor trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, alcohol/drug-related accidents and pedestrian injuries. The firm features eight offices located in the Virginia cities of Richmond, Petersburg, Louisa, Charlottesville, Tappahannock, Hopewell, Staunton and Fredericksburg. The firm's Richmond office is located at 1500 Forest Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23255, and its local phone number is (804) 282-0999. To learn more about the firm and your rights if you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, call (800) 283-2202 or use the firm's online form.