What Happened Here?

I’m not sure whether it’s good news that the three people killed in separate motorcycle collisions last Saturday in Marshall and DeSoto County Mississippi were wearing their helmets as required by law, I’m not sure they made a difference. The DeSoto County Coroner said the multiple motorcycle-related fatalities on the same day was something he had not seen before.

In the first accident, a 54-year-old man pulled out to turn at an intersection and his 2004 Honda clipped a car heading in the opposite direction. He was thrown from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene.

The second accident happened two hours later at another intersection when a 49-year-old man driving an older-model Triumph motorcycle pulled onto Bluff Road to head north and hit a Dodge pickup head-on. It’s hard to say what was going on in these drivers minds. Did they not see the oncoming car? Did they misjudge the speed at which the car was traveling? Or, were they distracted and not paying attention?

In neighboring Marshall County a few hours later a 63-year-old former Chief of Police of Holly Springs died when his motorcycle drifted off the road, in what we call a roadway departure crash, and died of injuries sustained in the crash.

As is the case here, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee motorcycle accident contact our experienced Nashville accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and learn about your rights and remedies.

Be Careful

The local media report didn’t include much information about the end of a 30-year-old Chattanooga man’s life, but what we know is that he was riding a motorcycle, he may have been speeding and he may have been drinking when he left the roadway, hit a concrete culvert and died. My prayers go out to the man’s family and friends for their loss.

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney, I am concerned that while all other types of fatal crashes involving cars, trucks and pedestrians are on the decrease, motorcycle fatalities continue to rise. What lies at the cause of this phenomenon? Several things come to mind. As is the case here, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a careless motorcycle rider, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies. Call 615-356-2000

Motorcycles Are Not For Everyone

There are over 6.2 million motorcycles registered in the United States. The popularity of this mode of transportation is attributed to the low initial cost of a motorcycle, its use as a pleasure vehicle, and, for some models, the good fuel efficiency.

Motorcycle fatalities represent approximately 11 percent of all highway fatalities each year, yet motorcycles represent approximately 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States. One of the main reasons motorcyclists are killed in crashes is because the motorcycle itself provides virtually no protection in a crash. For example, approximately 80 percent of reported motorcycle crashes result in injury or death; a comparable figure for automobiles is about 20 percent.

An automobile has more weight and bulk than a motorcycle. It has door beams and a roof to provide some measure of protection from impact or rollover. It has cushioning and airbags to soften impact and seat belts to hold passengers in their seats. It has windshield washers and wipers to assist visibility in the rain and snow.

An automobile has more stability because it’s on four wheels, and because of its size, it is easier to see. A motorcycle suffers in comparison when considering vehicle characteristics that directly contribute to occupant safety. What a motorcycle sacrifices in weight, bulk, and other crashworthiness characteristics is somewhat offset by its agility, maneuverability, ability to stop quickly, and ability to swerve quickly when necessary.

Before taking to the road on a motorcycle a motorcyclist should attend a motorcycle rider-training course to learn how to safely and skillfully operate a motorcycle. A motorcyclist has to be more careful and aware at intersections, where most motorcycle-vehicle collisions occur.

Motorcyclists must remain visible to other motorists at all times. Don’t ride in a car’s “No Zone” (blind spot). Anticipate what may happen more than other vehicle drivers may. For example, anticipate that drivers backing their cars out of driveways may not see you; and place greater emphasis on defensive driving.

Motorcyclists also must be more cautious when riding in inclement weather, on slippery surfaces, or when encountering obstacles on the roadway. They must place greater reliance on their helmets, eye protection, and clothing to increase riding comfort and to reduce the severity of injury should they become involved in a crash.

Approximately half of all fatal single-vehicle motorcycle crashes involve alcohol. A motorcycle requires more skill and coordination to operate than a car. Riding a motorcycle while under the influence of any amount of alcohol significantly decreases an operator’s ability to operate the motorcycle safely.

On average, 25 percent of motorcycle operators killed in traffic crashes are not licensed or are improperly licensed to operate a motorcycle. By not obtaining a motorcycle operator license, riders are bypassing the only method they and State licensing agencies have to ensure they have the knowledge and skill needed to safely and skillfully operate a motorcycle.

Have you or a loved one been injured in a Nashville motorcycle accident or auto accident as a result of distracted driving or other negligent driving?  If so, you should call the experienced Nashville personal injury lawyers at Phillip Miller & Associates, a Nashville motorcycle accident lawyer from our law firm will fight to help you win. We will treat you with the utmost compassion and respect. Call us today and speak with an experienced Nashville personal injury lawyer to discuss the details of your case. Call (615) 356-2000.

Too Big Too Fast

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney I am concerned that while all other types of fatal crashes involving cars, trucks and pedestrians are on the decrease, motorcycle fatalities continue to rise. What lies at the cause of this phenomenon? Several things come to mind.

First of all manufacturers continue to make motorcycles bigger and faster. Sometimes known as “crotch rockets” these high-powered bikes require more skill and unfortunately anybody with the money or credit can buy one and without any specialized training, take to the highway.

It was a very windy Tennessee day and a Kingston Springs Tennessee man decided to take his Suzuki “crotch rocket” motorcycle for a high speed drive on Interstate 40. The man won’t be coming home. He lost control of his motorcycle, went into the median, hit a cable barrier. In an accident like this, the fact that he had on a DOT rated helmet, made little difference.

In 2007, 5,154 motorcyclists were killed, an increase of 7 percent over the 4,837 motorcyclists killed in 2006. There were 103,000 motorcyclists injured during 2007.

In 2007, 2,641 (50%) of all motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with another type of motor vehicle in transport. In two-vehicle crashes, 78 percent of the motorcycles involved were struck in the front. Only 5 percent were struck in the rear.

As is the case here, motorcycles are more likely to be involved in a fatal collision with a fixed object than are other vehicles. In 2007, 25 percent of the motorcycles involved in fatal crashes collided with fixed objects, compared to 18 percent for passenger cars, 13 percent for light trucks, and 3 percent for large trucks.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee automobile accident caused by a careless motorcycle rider, contact the experienced Nashville automobile accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.

Read More

I’d like to share some interesting data from the Governors Highway Safety Association. As an experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorney this is good news.  Motorcyclist traffic fatalities in the United States fell in 2009, based on preliminary data supplied by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This is the first year since 1997 that motorcyclist fatalities decreased.

Motorcyclist fatalities dropped by 16% during the first nine months of 2009 across the 39 states that reported monthly data. Most states have quite complete traffic fatality counts for this period. While fatality data for the final months of 2009 are less complete, the decrease for the full year nationwide is expected to be at least 10%. If there is a 10% decrease, then motorcyclist fatalities dropped from 5,290 in 2008 to no more than 4,762 in 2009.

For the full year, about three-quarters of the states are expected to have fewer motorcycle fatalities than in 2008. States suggested several reasons for their motorcyclist fatality decreases: less motorcycle travel due to the economy, fewer beginning motorcyclists, increased attention to motorcycle safety programs in the states, and poor cycling weather in some states.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident by the negligence of another driver contact the experienced Nashville motorcycle accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates and take advantage of a free consultation.

Every experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorney and highway safety professional knows about “The Dragon”, a curvy mountain road in East Tennessee that claims more motorcyclist lives than any other stretch of roadway in the country. There hasn’t been a fatality on the road in the past seven months because the road has been closed due to mudslides. Last week ‘The Dragon’ re-opened and the carnage has already started. Luckily this time the motorcyclist wasn’t killed.

Seems like the usual prelude to death, a motorcycle rider is taking the sharp turns too fast and swings across the centerline and either goes out of control and leaves the road and flies off of he cliffs or hits another vehicle coming the other way. This time the cycle crossed the centerline and hit a car occupied by a man and his two young daughters. No one died, this time, but I’ll keep you up to date of the score card which stands at Dragon 1, Motorcycle 0.

Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

Stories like these should remind us that when we get behind the wheel, or handle bars, of a motor vehicle we have to have our full attention on the task at hand.

If you or a loved one is injured in a Tennessee motorcycle accident contact our experienced Nashville accident attorneys at Phillip Miller & Associates

The Dragon

and learn about your rights and remedies.

As an experienced Tennessee motorcycle attorney one of the main things I try to do with my blog is to bring information to my readers that might not get much traction in the present day entertainment only press. A report released recently by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reveals that motorcycle fatalities declined in 2009 by at least ten percent. Based on preliminary data, GHSA is projecting that motorcycle fatalities declined from 5,290 in 2008 to 4,762 or less in 2009. The projection is based on data from 50 states and the District of Columbia. The declines come on the heels of 11 straight years of dramatic increases in motorcyclist deaths.

The new report–the first state-by-state look at motorcycle fatalities in 2009–was completed by Dr. James Hedlund of Highway Safety North. Dr. Hedlund surveyed GHSA members, who reported fatality numbers for every state. While data are still preliminary, most states have quite complete fatality counts for at least nine months, making GHSA confident to forecast that deaths are down at least ten percent for the full year.

GHSA is projecting declines in approximately three-fourth of states. The declines are notable in many states and in every region of the country. In California, for example, based on data for the first nine months, motorcycle deaths are predicted to be down 29 percent, while Florida and New York are down 27 and 16 percent, respectively.

As part of the report, GHSA members were asked to suggest reasons for the decline. States offered several reasons, including: less motorcycle travel due to the economy, fewer beginning motorcyclists, increased state attention to motorcycle safety programs, and poor cycling weather in some areas. According to GHSA Chairman Vernon Betkey, “Clearly the economy played a large role in motorcycle deaths declining in 2009. Less disposable income translates into fewer leisure riders, and we suspect that the trend of inexperienced baby boomers buying bikes may have subsided.”

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident caused by the negligence of another driver contact Phillip Miller & Associates and talk to an experienced Tennessee Motorcycle accident attorney

Motorcycle Fatalities Decline

and find out about your rights and remedies.

As an experienced Nashville accident and injury lawyer I have never seen a collision between a motorcyclist without a helmet and a tree come out in favor of the motrrcyclist.. My sympathies go out to the family of Darry D. Smith, 22, of Oneida, who, according to an article on the web site of WBIR TV in Knoxville, was with friends when he attempted to pull a wheelie on his 2009 Yamaha and lost control, ran into a ditch and was thrown from the bike against a tree.

While travel by motor vehicle has become steadily safer in the United States, motorcycles remain the most dangerous type of motor vehicle to drive. Motorcyclists are involved in fatal crashes at a rate of 35.0 per 100 million miles of travel compared with a rate of 1.7 per 100 million miles of travel in cars. In 2007, 5,154 motorcyclists were killed—an increase of 7 percent over the 4,837 motorcyclists killed in 2006. There were 103,000 motorcyclists injured during 2007. Motorcycles made up nearly 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the United States in 2006 and accounted for only 0.4 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Per vehicle mile traveled in 2006, motorcyclists were about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 8 times more likely to be injured.

In Tennessee over 90% of motorcycle drivers in crashes from 2004 to 2008 were between the ages of 15 and 59. The number of motorcycle drivers in crashes has increased in every age group over 14 years old since 2004. As a percentage of all motorcycle drivers in crashes, drivers from ages 15 to 24 and 45 to 69 increased, while drivers between the ages of 25 and 44 decreased.

Motorcycles are not toys and should not be treated as if they were. If any good can come from a tragedy such as this it would be that others who knew and loved Mr. Smith will themselves practice motorcycle safety and use this incident to pass on the word to others.

If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee motorcycle accident you owe it to yourself to contact the experienced Nashville accident attorney’s at Phillip Miller & Associates for a free consultation to find out about your rights and remedies.