State and local authorities in Illinois have noted a spike in motorcycle crashes involving fatalities. Officials are warning motorists to be more careful on the road during the summer months, citing a number of factors that have led to the increase in motorcycle accident deaths.
One such incident involved a young man whose motorcycle crashed with a car that authorities say failed to yield at an intersection. The car, driven by a 31-year-old woman, turned onto a cross street in front of the bike. The 22-year-old motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet, and he was declared deceased at a local hospital shortly after the crash.
While there was no word as to whether his family has decided to pursue a wrongful death claim, his story should serve as a reminder of the dangers caused by drivers who are negligent in the presence of motorcycles.
Our readers in the Belleville area may be interested to learn that in 2010 there were 130 fatal accidents involving motorcyclists. Because of those accidents, 132 people lost their lives. Those numbers represent a 27-percent increase from 1999, when 103 motorcyclists died in Illinois.
The noted increase in motorcycle fatalities should reminder our readers in Belleville of the importance of giving bikes plenty of room on the road. Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to injury, but that doesn’t erase the fact that the vast majority of bike owners are very careful drivers. Motorcycle accidents are often caused by another driver’s inattention, and with the increase in motorcycle traffic during the summer months, drivers in Illinois would do well to remain alert and aware of their surroundings on the road.
Source: JournalStandard.com, “Motorcycle accidents on the rise,” Travis Morse, June 26, 2012