The fatal motorcycle crash occurred on Saturday, July 17, in Charlestown, and included several motorcyclists, one of which was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to police authorities, the crash happened at the intersection of Rutherford Ave. and Austin St. in Charlestown on Saturday night around 8 pm. One of the four motorcyclists involved in the crash was pronounced dead at the scene, while three others were transported to nearby Boston hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

The other crash occurred yesterday and it involved a motorcycle and a vehicle. As in most motorcycle-car collisions, regardless of who is at fault, the biker was thrown off his motorcycle sustaining serious injuries, while the car driver was uninjured.

Police and witnesses said the motorcyclist was injured after hitting the car on Brimfield Road near Warren, Mass.

Carroll Evans, 46, of Brookfield, was travelling north on Brimfield Road when he struck the car as he crossed into the southbound lane. The crash threw him from the motorcycle, causing serious injuries.

Evans was flown by a medical helicopter to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester for treatment. The 16-year-old driver of the car, Margaret Misiaszek, of Brimfield, was not hurt in the crash.

Both accidents remain under police investigation, and their causes are yet to be determined.

News Sources: MassLive.com, The Boston Channel

Almost every weekend this summer has brought an overwhelming number of motorcycle accident fatalities and injuries, so it is no wonder that motorcycle experts think that taking safety education courses could be the key to preventing accidents.

Since 2001, almost 80% of motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes in Massachusetts had no motorcycle education, the state Registry of Motor Vehicles reports. So far, the reigstry advises, but does not require, that motorcycle permit holders take a safety course. The number of students who take motorcycle safety courses declines while motorcycle crash reports rise, pointing that a lack of motorcycle education could be at the heart of the problem.

According to the RMV, 8,401 students were enrolled in the Mass. Rider Education Program in 2009, compared to 9,308 in 2008, while the number of fatal motorcycle crashes in Mass. rose from 42 in 2008 to 52 in 2009. So far this year, there have been 18 fatal motorcycle crashes.

We urge all prospective riders to take motorcycle safety education courses before they go out on the roads. Knowing the dangers on the road and the ways to improve their performance is half the battle, as the numbers clearly show.

The second serious motorcycle victim sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident that occurred in Beverly, Mass. on Tuesday. The injured biker, Thomas Misuraca, of Gloucester, was struck by a car driven by Ann Walker, 65, of Beverly, as she was pulling out of her driveway on 566 Hale Street.

She did not see the biker as a trailer parked along the side of the road obscured her view, police said. The trailer’s owners put it there for sale, the Gloucester Times reported.

Misuraca was conscious and alert after the crash, but police said he sustained serious injuries. He was airlifted by a MedFlight helicopter to a hospital, where he was listed in a “good” condition yesterday after his surgery on Wednesday.

Walker was cited for failure to yield, while the police are still investigating the crash.

In the meantime Misuraca’s condition is expected to improve. We hope he will heal quickly and completely.

As in the previous post, this motorcyclist also suffered in a crash because the driver did not see him. Drivers who do not expect to encounter motorcyclists on the roads in summertime, especially as there are so many motorcycle events going on all over the US, should really open their eyes and stay alert. Soon enough, the seasons will change and once again there will only be cars and trucks on the roads.

One rider was injured in what I refer to as a classic left hand turn case, in which a motorist took an unexpected left hand turn into his path of travel. Another was T-boned by a motorist who did not stop for a stop sign. Clearly neither of these riders were at fault. Once again inattentive, careless motorists were either unaware of or chose not to acknowledge motorcycles on the road.

What this should tell us as responsible riders is that we have to protect ourselves as best we can…We must hone our riding skills, wear all the protective gear that we can and be vigilant in spotting motorists who either don’t care or choose not to share the road with us. I believe that Loud Pipes can play a role in motorists awareness…Some people may hate me for it but that is the way I feel. I’m not talking about abnoxious straight pipes but aftermarket pipes that let the low vibrating tones, the type that you can feel send an alert to motorists that they are sharing the road with us.

This year I have a free download of my book “Do Load Pipes Save Lives“, A Bikers Guide To Accidents and Injuries,  available on this blog. The book is full of great information on safe riding and what to do if you are in an accident. I offer it free to my fellow riders. Many of the tips come from my personal experinces and  years of riding to events all over the country. I wrote the book to help riders protect themselves because in a contest between a motorcycle and an SUV believe me the SUV wins. 

Thanks for visiting my blog. Ride responsibly and ride safe and have a great season.

Tom

PS: If you have any feelings or opinions about Loud Pipes let me know.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) there are over 8 million registered motorcycles on the road in the United States. They also report that approximately 80% of motorcycle accidents compared to 20% of automobile accidents result in injury or death. This means that if you are in an accident on a motorcycle, it is highly likely that at the very least you will be hurt. That is a sobering thought.

Besides the obvious fact that motorcycles offer virtually zero protection if involved in a crash, there are other less obvious reasons for injuries from motorcycle crashes. A few include:

• Not wearing a helmet
• Not wearing  protective motorcycle gear
• Alcohol consumption
• Exceeding posted speed limits
• Failure to ride defensively
• Improper cornering or braking
• Racing
• Lack of proper motorcycle maintenance

The list above could have been 100 or more characteristics long but for the sake of this assessment, let’s look at these 8 as our starting point. Honestly take inventory of your riding habits and ask yourself, do these characteristics apply to me?

Bear in mind, any of the above characteristic can plant you in a cemetery; just imagine if a few of them describe your riding disposition. If so, you are a dead biker. Here’s the good news, you don’t have to be and it is never too late to make safety and fun your priority.

By changing just a few behaviors, you greatly increase your chances of avoiding injury and death.

• Take a state approved motorcycle safety course
• Drive defensively
• Always wear a DOT/SNELL approved helmet
• Always wear protective motorcycle gear
• Never drink and ride
• Obey all posted speed limits 

Motorcycling will always be dangerous and there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of an accident. Just make sure you don’t add to the risk with your behavior. Keep in mind, motorcycling is only fun when you are alive and healthy. Enjoy the road and ride safely.

Let’s face it. In a crash, there is no contest between a motorcycle and other vehicles such as cars, buses, and trucks. The motorcycle will always be on the losing end.

In a 1999 interview, the author of the study believed his findings were still relevant. He might say the same thing in 2009.

A Crash Is Most Likely to Occur at Intersections

According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, which develops rider education and training courses, the greatest potential for a crash with other traffic occurs at intersections.

The intersection may be a road or a side street, but it can also be an alley, a driveway, or a parking lot–or a combination of these. In short, a motorcycle hazard can develop in any situation where other traffic can cross your path of travel.

Intersections where traffic, buildings, hedges, parked vehicles, or other items limit or block your visibility or the visibility of other traffic are potentially even more hazardous for bikers.

Bicyclists and pedestrians can also be hazards when riding or stepping into your path.

Some Tips for Dealing With Intersections

Your best defense at intersections is to remain alert and to watch the traffic all around you.

The MSF suggests that you follow four steps:

• “Check for traffic behind”
• “Check oncoming traffic”
• “Check traffic to the right”
• “Check traffic to the left”

This is true whether you are approaching and moving through an intersection, waiting for a chance to turn, or stopped at a red light.

At intersections, always strive to have an escape plan should a hazard develop. When stopped, remain in first gear so you can react immediately, if need be. When pulling out after a light change, wait a few seconds to make sure cross traffic has stopped.

Remaining in first gear once saved a friend of mine. While waiting behind a long line of traffic in the left-hand lane, an accident between two cars in the right-hand lane occurred at an intersection behind him. The impact sent one car spinning out of control into the left-hand lane. He had to pull forward quickly to avoid being clipped. He wouldn’t have cleared the car’s path in time if he hadn’t been alert and in first gear.

Riders should conduct a thorough check of both their headlights and brake lights before setting out. Reflective clothing featuring shiny decals and reflective strips are also a great way to increase visibility. Finally, riders should have a heightened level of awareness, as drivers are much more likely to be fatigued at night.

These measures act as added insurance for riders and prevent countless motorcycle injuries and motorcycle accidents every year.

Learn more about the safe way to ride a motorcycle at night.

Fortunately, such a plan has been formulated by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, and will gradually be implemented, contemplating such factors as designing highway off-ramps and other parts of the roadway to meet motorcycles’ needs and abilities. The hope is that eventually these changes will lead to a drastically reduced number of motorcycle crashes each year.

If you have been involved in an accident and injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Thomas M. Kiley & Associates, LLP. We will evaluate your case for FREE – 1-800-930-8145.

If you have been involved in an accident and injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Thomas M. Kiley & Associates, LLP. 1-800-930-8145. 

Unfortunately, not all riders are aware of the principles for safer riding, which has led to recent motorcycle awareness programs sponsored at the state and federal levels to inform motorcyclists about potential dangers and the best techniques for preventing motorcycle accidents.

Yet no matter how thorough an awareness campaign is, in the end it is the responsibility of the individual rider to learn and incorporate safer riding methods to protect themselves on the road.

The Principle of Visibility

An alarming rate of motorcycle crashes occur simply because other drivers did not see the motorcyclist approaching or driving alongside them. All riders need to be aware of these common visibility problems and adjust their driving techniques to make sure their bike stands out on the road, especially when driving at night.

Riders can increase their visibility by using their headlights both at night and during daylight hours to help make other drivers aware of their presence.

Motorcycle riders can also make themselves more visible to motorists by wearing protective clothing and helmets with reflective strips or decals that will draw drivers’ eyes.

When choosing an appropriate position on the road, remember that motorcycles are small in comparison with other vehicles and motorcyclists should avoid entering other vehicles’ blind spots. Using additional measures such as tapping the brakes to activate your brake lights or using your horn can notify drivers that you are nearby and can help prevent possibly fatal collisions.

The Biker’s Dress Code

Protective gear is a rider’s best friend, and in the unfortunate cases where motorcycle crashes do occur the resulting injuries are usually far less serious if the person involved was properly dressed to ride.

The first place to start is your head. Riders can protect themselves by using a certified helmet (in the right size) and eye protection (full-face helmets have this built in). Choosing a helmet in a light color, such as white, has been proven to increase other people’s awareness of a motorcyclist’s position.

Use thick clothing to protect the other parts of your body. Leather is a favorite choice of motorcyclists all over the world because it has the thickness and durability needed to minimize potential motorcycle injuries during a crash. Wearing sturdy boots that protect your ankles are another important piece of safety gear that can help protect riders out on the road.

Having the Right Mindset

In addition to all the safety measures outlined above, riders should make sure that they have the right mindset while cruising on the open road. Some motorcycle injuries are ultimately the result of aggressive biker attitudes which can result in high risk maneuvers or poor driving decisions that can increase the risk for a collision.

There is no room for distraction when it comes to avoiding motorcycle injury. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends using their “SEE” strategy (referring to three steps: search, evaluate, and execute) to help motorcyclists navigate the road safely.

Riders should remember to always err on the side of caution, and adopt motorcycle safety strategies that can help them enjoy their time on the road. By incorporating protective gear and other riding techniques that increase their visibility, motorcyclists will be much less likely to end up as another unfortunate fatality in the news.