Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

May 22, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted a page on its website regarding May being Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and reminding drivers of all other vehicles to not only look out for, but also share the road with, motorcycle riders.

Continued awareness of motorcyclists is critical, because although the fatality rates for other automobiles have generally been on a decline, motorcycle deaths have been increasing for 13 out of the past 14 years.

For example, in 2011 alone:

2% more motorcyclists were killed in collisions than in 2010 (4,612 people)

14% of total highway deaths were motorcycle riders, even though they only comprise roughly 3% of all vehicles throughout the country.

Due to these and other statistics, based upon a per vehicle mile basis, motorcycle riders are more than 30 times more likely to be killed in a crash than individuals riding in cars or other automobiles. They are also 5 times more likely to suffer injuries.

The leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes is head injuries. As of 2011, 20 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico required helmet use by all motorcycle riders. According to statistics, helmets apparently prevent 37% of potentially fatal injuries to motorcycle riders involved in accidents. NHTSA estimates that helmet use may have saved some 1,600 motorcycle riders in 2011 alone.

I 70 Motorcycle Accident Kills Young West Virginia Couple

May 15, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Earlier this month, a tragic motorcycle accident resulted in the deaths of a young couple that was engaged to be married.

The 19 year old young woman was a passenger on the motorcycle that her fiance, a former military servicemember, was driving.

The accident occurred at around 12:40 p.m. on Interstate 70 in the Indian Springs area. According to Maryland State Police, somewhere around 20 motorcycles were riding in a group, when suddenly one man on a Harley slowed down, and was struck by another man (the male victim’s father) from behind. His motorcycle then struck the motorcycle being driven by his son.

The young woman, who was riding as a passenger, died at the scene. The young man and his father were transported to the Shock Trauma center for serious injuries. According to officials, the young man later died.

Fatal Motorcycle Crash on Route 301 Kills Two Motorcyclists

May 6, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

According to police and reports, two motorcyclists were killed earlier this month in an accident involving a minivan.

According to Maryland State Police, the accident which occurred near the intersection of Route 301 and Short Cut Road, involved two motorcycles and a minivan. Reportedly, the motorcyclists were travelling at a fast speed in a group of six motorcycles. When a minivan pulled into their path, two of the bikers hit the van so hard that it allegedly flipped three times, resulting in the instantaneous death of the two riders.

This was the third serious motorcycle crash in the D.C. area within recent weeks, and was also the second motorcycle accident to result in a fatality. The other two accidents both occurred on Interstate 95.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remain unclear, for example why the minivan pulled into the group of motorcycles. Perhaps the driver was unaware of the exact location of the motorcycles.

Bicycle Accident Could Have Ended University of Maryland Basketball Player Seth Allen’s Athletic Career

April 16, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Understanding the potentially life-shattering power that a serious pedestrian or bicycle-related traffic accident can have on a person could go a long way toward altering the way people perceive traffic safety and its effect on the non-vehicular component of our cityscapes. Because almost every one of us assumes the role of pedestrian at one time or another during our workweek or on the weekend, traffic safety as it pertains to pedestrians and bicyclists should be on everyone’s mind.

While walking is a healthy pastime, many individuals prefer to cover more ground and see a little extra scenery by taking advantage of pedal power. A usually pleasant and beneficial way to exercise — as well as being a decent mode of transportation, of course, depending on the weather – cycling is an eco-friendly activity for many people, young and old. In places like Baltimore City, local government is trying to make streets more “bike-friendly.” But there are always dangers when people and bikes mix with motor vehicle traffic.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, we keep an eye on the traffic-related injury totals from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2011, the latest year for fatality statistics from the safety agency in Washington, D.C., 102 pedestrians were killed in automobile-related collisions here in Maryland, while “only” five cyclists died in traffic crashes. If we compare this to the total number of deaths on our state’s highways and city streets, bicycle fatalities made up less than one percent of the total figure.

For Motorcycle Riders All Around Maryland, Spring Means Getting Back on the Road… Safely

April 8, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If the last several years have been any indicator, it’s that there are more and more people choosing economical transportation over more expensive passenger cars. Whether that means chucking a larger sedan or sport utility vehicle for a gas-sipping hybrid or diesel hatchback, taking public transportation on the weekdays and saving the family vehicle for weekend outs only, people are trying to save money left and right.

It’s no secret that one of the more economical modes of personal internal combustion-powered transport is the motorcycle. Unfortunately bikes and motor scooters can also pose significant physical dangers to their owners. It’s a major tradeoff that many people need to consider very seriously when looking to save money at the pump and to lower ownership costs. If you can, literally, live with the near-constant risk of physical injury or even death, then the two-wheeled solution might be an option.

As a Maryland personal injury attorney, I understand the downside of being involved in a traffic accident while riding a Honda, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki or Ducati cycle. Obviously the emotional and financial payoff with these vehicles can be quite high, but riders need to fully understand and accept the dangers as well. Having represented victims of motorcycle, automobile and trucking-related collisions, I and my colleagues are all too aware of the potentially painful consequences — physical, financial and emotional — that a motorcycle-related traffic accident can present to a victim and his family.

Will Warmer Weather Prompt Renewed Illegal Dirt Bike Activities in Baltimore and Other Maryland Cities

March 31, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Spring has arrived, and though it could be a little early for every motorcycle rider to dust off his mount, the warmer days are on their way. But from a public safety standpoint, we can’t help but wonder if we will be looking at some more passenger car-bike and truck-motorcycle accidents as the season progresses. Most anyone who follows the news here in Baltimore and other urban areas has heard for the potentially dangerous groups of dirt bike riders playing havoc with motorists and others in town.

As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff have helped bikers injured in bad traffic collisions. A serious roadway collision can turn out to be a life-threatening event for almost anyone, but for motorcyclists the risks can be even greater. And, while most conscientious riders obey our traffic laws and respect other motorists’ rights as well, there are bad apples among them.

As we write this, we are thinking specifically about the dangerous trend of urban dirt bike riding by mostly unlicensed and, some would say, reckless youth. While not involving the more thoughtful riders out there, this trend has continued much to local police departments’ dismay. Based on a news article published not long ago, we have to ask ourselves if Baltimore and other areas of the state are in for another round of dangerous dirt bike riding exploits.

With Spring Officially Here, Anne Arundel County Police Officers Provide Tips for Safe Motorcycling

March 24, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We’ve already heard of several fatal accidents involving motorcycles this year, so it’s not too soon for everyone to prepare themselves for a new season of motorcycle riding here in Maryland. Whether one is riding on the expressways serving our major cities, out on some rural two-lane or creeping through dense urban traffic, the opportunities for a severe roadway accident anywhere throughout the state are much higher for bikers than most any other motorist.

As Baltimore personal injury lawyers, I and my legal staff have seen the aftermath of many a tragic traffic collision; and certainly more than we would want anyone else to experience, especially not first-hand. Passenger car collisions, whether they involve a sedan, family minivan or larger sport utility vehicle, can result in serious and sometimes fatal injuries. The same can be said for roadway wrecks caused by commercial vehicles, such as city buses, 18-wheelers, large box trucks, and utility repair vehicles.

But as bad as car and trucking-related collisions can be, accidents involving any one of these vehicles and a motorcycle can be much, much worse; usually the person who is hurt the most is the rider on the bike. Even while wearing all the proper safety equipment — such as a correctly sized and certified helmet, motorcycle boots and gloves, plus a specialized riding suit, or leather chaps and motorcycle jacket — injuries sustained by a motorcyclist can range from painful, yet minor to severe and life-threatening.

Maryland Motorcyclist Dies in Fatal Auto-Bike Crash on MD Route 3 in Gambrills

March 16, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As the first nice days of spring crop here and there it is an almost inevitable conclusion that we will start to see more and more motorcyclists, bicycle riders, and fair-weather runners and joggers take to the streets and sidewalks in towns and cities all around the state. From Columbia and Bowie to Annapolis and Washington, D.C., the longer days and milder temperatures makes everyone feel like making a fresh start. Unfortunately, with the added volume of two-wheeled vehicles, there are bound to be some mishaps as well.

Here in the Baltimore area, we’re used to seeing motorcycles plying the streets from time to time whenever the weather takes a turn for the better. It’s always tempting for bikers to get their machines out on the roadways as earlier as possible, if only to make the most of the riding season to come. But accidents between cars, trucks and cycles are also prone to increase at this time of the year. As Maryland personal injury attorneys, we know the value of taking extra precautions when heading out fo the first time on a motorbike.

Not only must a biker flex his riding muscles after a long winter’s nap, so to speak, but following the prolonged absence of any significant volume of two-wheeled vehicle, drivers of passenger cars and commercial trucks need time to collectively adjust to the change in the roadway landscape. Reminding oneself that a bike could be hidden behind a large approaching vehicle when waiting to make a left-hand turn, for instance, can not only save the cost of a traffic accident, but it could also save a life.

Rockville Biker Dies in Hospital After Motorcycle Crash along Great Seneca Highway in Montgomery County

March 8, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

So many things can go wrong when traveling down the highway in a motor vehicle that it sometimes amazes us more people are not involved in passenger car and commercial trucking accidents more often in this country. Actually, to say this does not acknowledge that there have been huge strides in automotive safety over the past several decades, to the extent that we forget how hazardous it used to be for our parents and grandparents when they were in their youth.

We say that things can go wrong when driving a car or truck on the road these days, but these are relatively stable vehicles when compared to motorcycles. And although bikes have gained in the area of safety due to the improvements in braking technology and other traffic safety enhancements, the fact still remains that motorcycles are about as raw a driving experience as one can get nowadays, having changed very little from even fifty years ago. As Baltimore personal injury attorneys, we also know that riders simply don’t enjoy the cocooning quality of today’s sedans, SUVs and even light trucks.

So when something does go wrong on the road, with either the vehicle itself or the outside conditions affecting that car or truck, the driver and passengers have a large amount of designed-in safety features that hopefully will protect them, or at the very least, reduce the extent of their injuries should a collision occur. Not so with motorcycles and their riders and passengers.

Van Hits Motorcycle from Behind at Washington County Intersection; Rider Injured, Passenger Dies from Injuries

February 28, 2013 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

We fully understand how a segment of the motoring public is draw inexorably to the pastime of motorcycle riding. For one thing, it is an exciting sport with many rewards such as a feeling of freedom, a connection with nature and the outdoors far beyond that which we as automobile drivers can ever truly experience, and it is an economical way to travel. If it wasn’t for the fact that cold or inclement weather limits most people’s enjoyment of bikes in general, there might be even more individuals taking up the pastime.

Of course, along with its many big pluses, motorcycling does present a number of risks, most importantly to the rider himself. By being exposed almost completely to all of the dangers on our roadways, bikers assume a great deal of risk, not the least of which are those ever-present roadway hazards or possible traffic collisions.

While a passenger car accident may surely produce a few injuries at the very least, being killed in a low- or medium-speed automobile crash is not as great a threat as being killed in a traffic accident while riding a cycle. As Maryland personal injury lawyers, I and my colleagues have seen too many individuals severely hurt, permanently disabled or killed outright to believe that motorcycling is not an inherently dangerous activity. Certainly it is not a pastime for those who aren’t totally committed to the sport, body and soul.