Speed and Aggressive Driving Contribute to Bellingham Motorcycle Accident
After an unseasonably cold and wet spring, summer weather has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Motorcycle riders who have been waiting to get their bikes out of storage and hit the road are rejoicing. It’s very important for motorcyclists to exercise caution on the roads as they are much more likely to die in a traffic crash than drivers. Data shows that motorcycle riders suffer 25 fatalities per 100 million miles of travel compared to 0.80 fatalities per 100 million miles of passenger car travel. There are two main reasons for this: 1. Drivers sometimes have a hard time seeing motorcycles on the road and 2. Motorcycle riders don’t have as much protection as drivers.
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a motorcycle accident because of the negligence of another driver, contact a local motorcycle accident lawyer for help. Injury lawyers know how to calculate the true value of your accident claim and can help you negotiate a full and fair settlement for your injuries and losses.
Motorcycle accident statistics
According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission:
- Motorcycles make up only three percent of road users in Washington State but accounted for 15 percent of all fatalities and 19 percent of serious injuries in collisions between 2013 and 2017.
- About one in five motorcycle collisions result in serious injury or death.
- On average 75 riders die every year in motorcycle crashes on Washington roads.
- According to the Insurance Information Institute, nationwide, 5,014 motorcyclists died in motorcycle crashes in 2019.
- A motorcycle driver is 27 times more likely to die in a crash than a car driver and 80 percent of all motorcycle crashes result in injury or death compared to 20 percent of all passenger car accidents.
- Motorcyclists are at an increased risk for single-vehicle accidents; 34 percent of motorcycle accidents do not involve any other vehicle compared to only 14 percent of car crashes.
Fatal motorcycle accident in Bellingham
As reported by nationwidereport.com, a 37-year-old man from Blaine, Washington died in a motorcycle crash in Bellingham on Thursday, June 30, 2022. The single-vehicle accident involving a 2003 Honda VTX1800R motorcycle occurred at approximately 8:20 p.m. on Lakeway Drive under the I-5 overpass. The motorcycle had been traveling northbound on I-5 when the rider failed to negotiate a curve and the motorcycle crashed into the median. From there, the motorcycle hit a guardrail and went over a cement barrier where it dropped down to Lakeway Drive. Officials pronounced the rider dead at the scene. Reports also revealed that a 2018 GMC Canyon on Lakeway Drive was damaged by the falling guardrail caused by the accident.
Authorities determined that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the motorcycle crash but speed and aggressive driving were. As of July 1, 2022 the crash was still under investigation.
Factors contributing to the fatal motorcycle crash
Speeding
According to the WHO, speed is a known key risk factor in traffic accident injuries, as it impacts both the risk of motor vehicle crashes and the severity of the injuries. In fact, excessive and inappropriate speeding are responsible for 30 percent of traffic accident deaths in high income countries like the United States. A study by Arity, a mobility data analytics company, found that speeding at 80 miles an hour or more was up through most of 2020 and that speeding is still up even as driving has returned to more normal levels, especially during morning and afternoon rush hours.
Aggressive driving
Aggressive driving occurs when a driver has two or more moving violations that are deemed likely to endanger other persons or property, or a single intentional violation that requires a defensive reaction by another driver. Speeding, improper turns, and reckless actions are all common examples of aggressive driving that are known to contribute to the risk of car accidents. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, more than 55 percent of traffic fatalities during a recent four-year period involved drivers who committed one or more aggressive driving actions.
Seek the help of a car accident lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
