Sarasota Personal Injury Lawyer - Motorcycle Accidents

Pinellas Park Motorcyclist Killed in Crash on I-75

Joe Saunders — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:59:26 GMT

A 24 year old Pinellas Park motorcyclist was killed early this morning when his motorcycle veered into the path of a tractor trailer. The crash caused the motorcycle to split in two and catch on fire. The cyclist was not wearing a helmet at the time of the early morning crash.

This is another Bay area motorcycle crash that has resulted in a fatality or serious injury. Serious motorcycle accidents are a recurring headline in the local news here with no end in sight. Recently enacted motorcycle safety programs have not stemmed the tide of death and injury in the accidents. Florida is one of the most dangerous states in the country for motorcyclists. Population, road congestion, and construction contribute to this sorry statistic. Other factors include driver (whether it's car or motorcycle) inattention, cyclists who don't wear a helmet, and speed.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Joe Saunders

Motorcyclist Runs Red Light, Dies

Joe Saunders — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:21:43 GMT

A 62 year old Sarasota man ran a red light at University Parkway and Cattleman Road and was struck and killed by an oncoming SUV. According to police, the SUV had a green light at the time of the accident. This marks another motorcycle tragedy in the bay area where a motorcyclist has died as a result of injuries sustained in a crash. As gas prices continue to rise with no end in sight, more people have opted to use motorcycles as their mode of transportation. In spite of new safety classes required for new motorcyclists, the rise in traffic deaths involving motorcycles in the bay area is alarming. At this point, more than 60 people have died in motorcycle related crashes in the Tampa Bay area this year. Some of the accidents are attributable to driver inattention, driver's failure to yield, speeding, and lack of proper safety equipment such as helmets.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Joe Saunders

New Motorcycle Safety Classes in Effect, But Are They Effective?

Joe Saunders — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:18:03 GMT

The Florida State Legislature passed a bill this year requiring new motorcyclists to take a safety course prior to registering their motorcycles. Unfortunately, they didn't require a helmet law which would have helped prevent some of the severe head injuries that result in motorcycle crashes.

While it's too early to tell if the classes are going to actually make driving a motorcycle safer, many cyclists are complaining that the courses are so backlogged that they have to wait months before taking the classes. Part of the popularity of motorcycles as well as scooters is the surge in gas prices. Many have opted for the more fuel efficient modes of transportation offered by the motorcycle and scooter. Yet, it's a tradeoff. The roads can be unforgiving for motorcyclists and scooter operators. Too often, drivers of other motor vehicles don't take proper precautions and/or don't recognize motorcycles on the road. Given the size discrepancy, the motorcyclist often comes out on the wrong end of any crash, no matter how safely he or she is operating the motorcycle.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Joe Saunders