Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Drunk Motorcyclist Injured in Crash Against Tree

Over the 4th of July weekend, a suspected drunk motorcyclist was injured in a crash in Kensington at around 11 o’clock in the morning.

According to the police, the accident occurred near the intersection of Aldine Drive and Van Dyke Avenue. The driver was reportedly driving eastbound up a hill on Aldine Drive when he made “an unsafe movement”.

The motorcyclist, who has been identified to be a man in his mid-40s, then crashed into a palm tree. He suffered a broken hip injury.

Police say that the crash was definitely alcohol-related.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol and speeding contribute to many fatal single-vehicle motorcycle crashes. In fact, as much as 43 percent of all motorcycle drivers killed in single-vehicle crashes in 2008 had blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher.
As stated by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), alcohol affects the rider’s ability to SEE. SEE is an acronym invented by the MSF which stands for:

• Search for hazards
• Evaluate the hazards which may create risk
• Execute an action to get to safety

Alcohol and motorcycles according to MSF, are inherently incompatible. A BAC as low as 0.01 to 0.04 percent can already impair the motorcyclist’s driving skills as it can already slow the rider’s reaction time and create mental relaxation that can cause the driver to be less critical of their actions.

While alcohol is a big factor in most single-vehicle crashes wherein only the motorcyclist is hurt or involved, these alcohol-related accidents still have the potential to hurt other people. Pedestrians and other motorists are just as vulnerable to injuries in accidents caused by a drunk motorcyclist.

If you or a loved one or family member had the misfortune of being involved in a motorcycle accident and you suspect that alcohol was a factor, do not hesitate to hire a personal injury attorney, especially if you sustained any injury or damage. Likewise, if you are getting blamed for the accident and the motorcyclist was drunk, your liability will be negated be his negligence.