Motorcyclist Dies in South Fresno Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a Fresno motorcycle accident lawyer. A motorcycle crash in South Fresno on November 3 or 4 caused the death of the rider. An exact location where the accident occurred was not reported.
My sympathy and prayers go to the rider’s family and friends during this time of sorrow.
What Happened
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), a motorcycle was found by a homeowner in a canal on November 4. The homeowner subsequently called the CHP, who conducted a search and located the rider’s body. Officials believe the accident occurred either November 3 in the night or early on Saturday morning, November 4. Investigators believe the rider missed seeing a turn along the road, and this caused the rider to drive into a canal. The rider’s helmet was located some distance away from the motorcycle. Drugs or alcohol is not thought to have factored into the accident. The deceased male was described as white and in his 40s.
Motorcycling in California
With 799,000 registered bikes in California, it has its share of accidents. In fact, in 2015, the number of bikers who were killed in the country topped 5,000. The number of motorcyclists injured in the same year were 88,000. Because of the lack of physical protection a motorcyclist is afforded, injuries can be traumatic such as spinal cord damage. Due to long rehabilitation periods, the cost of medical care is high.
Lowering the Risk of a Motorcycle Accident
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, motorcycle riders are at much higher risk than those who drive motor vehicles. However, donning a motorcycle helmet can lower that risk by as much as 37 percent. Riding a motorcycle with an antilock brake system can also lower the risk. The fatality rate of motorcyclists who have this optional equipment on their motorcycles lowers their risk by 31 percent compared to bikes without antilock brakes. In addition, certain types of motorcycles have a higher risk of fatalities. Riding a standard bike or a cruiser lowers the risk by four times over that of a supersport model. Age and gender makes a difference too. Thirty-five percent of motorcycle fatalities in 2015 were at least 50 years old.
Fatalities
Overall, in the United States, motorcycles make up only 3 percent of registered vehicles, yet in 2015, the number of motorcycle fatalities was roughly six time greater than those found with passenger cars. This inequitable situation is mirrored in California. The number of bikers taking advantage of the over 1,000 miles of coastal roadways are injured and killed at a rate exceeding those of passenger vehicles.
The number of registered motorcycles in Fresno County was approximately 19,127 in 2016, while the number of registered automobiles was approximately 511,000 in the same year, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Helmet Use
California requires all bikers and passengers to use a helmet when riding a motorcycle under California Vehicle Code Section 27803. Since 80 percent of all motorcycle crashes end in fatalities, the use of a helmet is critical to a biker’s safety. When helmets are used, the risk of a traumatic brain injury decreases by 69 percent. It is important to make sure that when buying a helmet that it meets the Federal Motor Vehicle safety standard.
Fresno Motorcycle Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Fresno motorcycle accident attorney. Losing a family member to a motorcycle accident is a tragic event that impacts the entire family. If you have lost a loved one due to a motorcycle accident caused by the negligence of another driver or entity, contacting an experienced injury lawyer may be an important decision to recover compensation in a wrongful death. Please phone me at (559) 377-7676 for my friendly advice that is free to discuss your options. Those who are outside the Fresno area may call (800) 494-9400. I also have a contact form online at my website, autoaccident.com.
It can be difficult for a family that is grieving and facing mounting bills to know who to call when tragedy strikes. Knowing what others have said and how they have rated a law firm can help. Find my reviews at: Yelp, Avvo and Google. You may also wish to look over settlements and verdicts on my website, which shows how my law firm has helped others.
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Image Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/biker-motorcycle-ride-vehicle-407123/
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