Motorcycle Accidents

Published on: June 15, 2023

Road Restrictions on E -Scooters Place Riders at Risk of Pedestrian Accidents

Many cities including the metro Atlanta region have seen a boom in the number of e – scooter riders, but limits on the operations of these vehicles mean that many of these riders choose to ride on sidewalks, increasing their risks of being involved in pedestrian accidents.

Around the country, there has been an increase in the number of e – scooter riders, and cities have welcomed the expansion of this community because that reduces the stress on motor vehicle traffic, especially in congested cities like Atlanta. However, many cities have restricted the roads that these vehicles can be operated on. This means riders often choose to ride on sidewalks, placing them in direct conflict with pedestrians, and increasing their chances of being involved in pedestrian accidents. In fact, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there has been an increase in the number of e – scooter personal injuries and accidents involving pedestrians.

In most cities, the laws allow persons to ride e- scooters on roads where the speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less. That restricts the operation of ride vehicles to bike lanes and bike paths. In areas where it is not possible to ride on bike lanes, e – scooter riders prefer to ride on sidewalks. This may be safe for the scooter rider, but involves increased risks for pedestrians, especially when the e-scooter is being operated at high speeds. Most riders do tend to lower their speeds when they are riding on sidewalks as compared to riding in a bicycle lane. Even so, the potential risk of personal injuries to pedestrians is very real. Some cities have placed greater speed restrictions on privately operated scooters that are being operated on sidewalks in order to reduce the risk of personal injuries to pedestrians in accidents with the scooters. Other cities are even considering a complete ban on e – scooters on sidewalks.

Published on: February 13, 2023

Study: Head Injury can Hasten Death

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There are a number of complications that are associated with suffering a head injury, and one of these, according to a new study, is an increased chance of dying, with the risk having doubled over a period of 3 decades.

We know of some of the more common consequences of head injury including memory loss, attention and concentration difficulties, and cognitive deficits. Head injuries have also been linked to other long-term disabilities including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, early onset dementia and stroke. All of these are long term consequences can seriously impact the quality of a person’s life.

However, there is one serious consequence of a head injury that does not attract as much attention – the effect of the brain injury on the person’s life expectancy. A new study probed the effects of a head injury on a person’s life expectancy, and found that a head injury could increase the risk of death over a period of 30 years. In some cases, the risk of death increased by two or even three times the risk without a head injury.

Published on: January 30, 2023

Car Accident Wrongful Deaths Drop Slightly in First 9 Months of 2022

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Statistics seem to show a slight drop in the number of people killed in car accidents across the country during the first 9 months of 2022, compared to the same period of time the previous year. However, the number of people killed in pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents increased over the same period of time.

New statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show a very slight drop in auto accident fatalities in the first 9 months of last year, compared to the same period of time in 2019. A total of 31,785 people were killed in car accidents between January and September 2022, compared to the previous year. That was a 0.2% drop. The bad news, however, is that bicycle accident and pedestrian accident wrongful deaths continued to rise over the first 9 months of 2022 as they have for several years now.

Car accident deaths across the country and in Georgia have been at elevated levels since 2020 when the pandemic struck and lock downs were imposed. In spite of a drop in traffic volumes with few people driving on the streets, the number of auto accidents began to spike, confounding experts. Since then, we have learned that auto accident numbers began to rise in 2020 because of reckless driving behaviors, including speeding. With lower traffic volumes on the road, motorists became much more comfortable driving at high speeds, and those behaviors have continued since then. Additionally, the lack of enforcement campaigns during this time also meant more numbers of people driving without wearing their seatbelts or driving under the influence of alcohol, contributing to those high statistics.

Published on: January 9, 2023

Brain Injury Association Launches Concussion Awareness Coalition

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Concussions are some of the most common head injuries that occur in car accidents and motorcycle accidents, but are often ignored with sometimes serious consequences. It is this mindset that the nation’s premier brain injury advocacy group will seek to change with a new initiative.

The Brain Injury Association of America in collaboration with Abbott recently launched a coalition of more than 20 brain injury advocacy groups. The coalition called Concussion Awareness Now will conduct education campaigns across the country in order to raise awareness about the possibly serious consequences of concussions.

According to experts, concussions are often brushed aside as minor injuries. These injuries sometimes can result in no loss of consciousness and no bleeding. There may be no swelling or inflammation at the site of the injury. The lack of any visible symptoms can sometimes spur people into a sense of complacency, and many victims who have suffered a concussion may not even seek medical treatment.

Published on: June 8, 2022

Data Shows Universal Motorcycle Helmet Laws very Effective in Preventing Accident Deaths

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A motorcycle accident is more likely to result in fatal injuries than any other type of motor vehicle accident. This is mainly because a motorcycle rider does not have the protection being in an enclosed vehicle, but also because many motorcycle accidents can result in serious head injuries. This is why a wearing a motorcycle helmet while riding a motorcycle is critical in preventing injury.

Georgia is one among several states that have universal motorcycle helmet laws requiring all riders and passengers on motorcycles to wear helmets while riding. Data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shows that universal helmet laws go a long way in increasing helmet usage among passengers and riders, thereby preventing the kind of serious crash-related injuries that can result in death. If you are riding a motorcycle in Atlanta, you must wear a helmet regardless of your age, riding experience or whether you are a rider or a passenger on a motorcycle.

Universal motorcycle helmet laws make sense, and it can be hard to understand why only a few states have these laws in place. It wasn’t always like this. Several decades ago, the administration had tied universal motorcycle helmet laws to state accessibility to construction funds. As a result, all states excluding 3, had universal helmet laws. However, when these incentives were removed, many states went ahead with the decision to repeal universal helmet laws within their borders. This has proved to be a disaster for some of these states that have recorded high percentages of traffic accident fatalities involving motorcycle crashes since the laws were repealed.

Published on: May 17, 2022

White House Calls for Emphasis on Motorcycle Safety

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Safety organizations in Georgia and around the country are marking the month of May as National Motorcycle Safety Month, and President Joe Biden himself recently issued a statement recognizing the importance of prioritizing the safety of motorcyclists.

This May, transportation safety agencies in Georgia have planned a number of programs to bring awareness to motorcycle safety issues. The Georgia Department of Driver Services Commissioner says that it is important for all Atlanta drivers and motorcyclists to understand that motorcyclists and riders can be kept safe through a combination of avoiding distracting behaviors, staying within speed limits and respecting the rights of all on the road.

Georgia has an admirable record as far as motorcycle safety is concerned in that the state is one of just 19 other states and the District of Columbia that have passed universal motorcycle helmet laws. These laws require all persons riding a motorcycle to be wearing a helmet at the time.

Published on: November 17, 2021

Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program Receives Much-Needed Boost

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program does important work in educating riders of every level and motorists about safety. Recently, the program received a significant boost through a substantial funding grant.

The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program is an initiative by the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and is focused on providing motorcycle safety awareness and training programs to riders across the state. The Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program recommends motorcycle training for motorcyclists before they begin riding. You can find approved providers for the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program near you.

Training is a vital component of motorcycle safety, and if you are a new motorcycle rider, it is recommended that you take a training course before you start riding. Apart from training, the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program also focuses its efforts on conducting rider education and awareness programs for both motorcyclists and motorists across the state of Georgia.

Published on: September 30, 2021

Georgia Motorcyclists Form a Significant Percentage of Traffic Fatalities

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Motorcyclists in Georgia form a small percentage of the total number of registered motor vehicles in the state, but account for a significantly higher number of fatalities every year. This unfortunately should not come as a surprise as a collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle usually results in serious or fatal injuries to the motorcyclist given the lack of outer vehicle protection.

In July, the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety released new data for motorcycle accidents across the state. The data is based on traffic accident statistics in Georgia in 2019. The data finds that motorcyclists form just a small percentage of motor vehicle accidents in the state, accounting for just 1 percent of all motor vehicle crashes. However, they form 11 percent of traffic accident deaths and 21 percent of all driver deaths.

According to the data, the North Georgia area, which encompasses the metropolitan Atlanta region, accounts for the majority of all motorcycle crashes in Georgia. The metro Atlanta region specifically accounts for the highest share of all motorcycle accidents in the state.

Published on: February 16, 2021

Study Points to Benefits of Clothing, Helmets in Preventing Injuries in Motorcycle Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Motorcycle accidents are some of the most devastating of all motor vehicle accidents in the metro Atlanta region. Due to the unenclosed nature of motorcycle riding, it comes as no surprise that a motorcyclist is much more likely to be sustain serious and even fatal injuries in an accident as opposed to victims in other types of auto accidents.

A new study focuses on the injury prevention benefits provided by appropriate clothing and helmets in reducing the risk of fatal injuries in motorcycle accidents. According to the new study which was conducted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, motorcyclists are approximately 25 to 30 times more likely to be killed in an accident compared to other motorists, even after taking into account a number of other factors that could affect fatality rates.

The lead researchers involved in the study focused specifically on the key factors involved in motorcycle accidents and the mitigation strategies that could be employed to reduce these risks. According to the researchers, there is no comprehensive evidence available that specifically measures the harm that motorcyclists sustain in accidents. The researchers made use of the Injury Severity Score that rates the seriousness of injuries, and data collected from the Motorcycle Crash Causation Study.

Published on: January 14, 2021

Are you Aware of These Georgia Motorcycle Safety Laws?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

If you are a motorcyclist in Atlanta, it is a must for you to be aware of all the laws that govern the operation of motorcycles in the state of Georgia to ensure that you are not putting yourself at risk of an accident.

Georgia is one of several states in the country that have helmet laws in place. It is mandatory to wear helmets when you are riding a motorcycle here, regardless of your age or experience level. Whether you are an amateur or an experienced motorcyclist, you must be helmeted while operating a motorcycle. The only exception to the rule may be persons operating motorcycles that are used for agricultural purposes, or those operating motorized carts, or enclosed two-wheel vehicles.

There are reasons why most states like Georgia have chosen to make helmets mandatory. A recent study in Michigan found that after the state repealed its motorcycle helmet laws, the number of motorcyclists whose organs were donated increased three-fold. In fact, hospital trauma centers have a name for motorcycles whose riders don’t wear helmets – “donorcycles.” That grim term clearly indicates the high risk that you have of becoming a fatal accident victim and organ donor when you ride a motorcycle without a helmet and suffer fatal traumatic brain injuries.