A little Christmas Giving.
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| Christmas Card Display (from Martha Stewart) |
During Christmas, I've noticed many of the people around me start looking outwards instead of inwards. Simply stated, people start thinking "what can I do or get for others," instead of our daily grind towards self-gratification. Now, although most of us think about gifts and cards, there are other ways of giving back. Take Gina Williams, she created www.motorcycleaccident.org in order to educate people about the risks of riding a motorcycle. Gina's story is below:
The effects of my friend’s death were eye opening. Not even 21 yet, everyone who
knew him was uneasy when he bought his motorcycle. Despite coming from a family
of “motorheads” who loved motors and speed, his father would call my friend every single
time he heard a helicopter; helicopters often mean one thing: Life Flight.
Sadly, his family and friends’ concern turned out to be rational. Driving too fast over an
overpass one day resulted in the loss of his life. For over a week he lay in an ICU bed,
slowly healing from severe head trauma, all the while his friends and family by his side.
Then medical complications occurred and he was gone.
It was this experience that led to my starting my website. After the accident, I began doing
research; I saw the way his choices changed the lives of everyone around him permanently.
The idea of anyone suffering through a loved one’s death over something like that led me
to want to prevent others from making similar mistakes.
I decided that the best way for people to think twice was through education. I, of course, do not want to deter people from riding; however, I do want people to take every safety precaution they can and be aware of the existing dangers before they choose to ride and if they choose to ride.
Not many people understand just how dangerous motorcycle travel is in comparison to
other travel options; and no matter if you’re riding for the fuel efficiency, for fun, or for the
convenience, you need to be aware of these dangers.
According to the U.S. Census in 2009, there were 246,282,886 passenger vehicles and
7,883,446 motorcycles registered in the United States. In that same year, the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 23,885 passenger vehicle
occupants and 4,462 motorcycle occupants were killed in roadway accidents. So, in 2009,
for every 1 registered motorcycle, there were about 31 registered passenger vehicles, yet
motorcycle fatalities represented 13 percent of all traffic fatalities.
Motorcycles are more dangerous than passenger vehicles for a number of reasons. They
don’t have seat belts, they offer no structural protection to drivers, and they aren’t easily
visible to other vehicles. According to the NHTSA, motorcyclists are 25 times more likely to
experience a fatal road accident than other vehicle types.
Based on data analyzed by the NHTSA between 2001 and 2005, 56 percent of motorcycle
fatalities were the result of a multiple vehicle accident; and 89 percent of multiple vehicle
accident motorcycle fatalities involved only one other vehicle. Excessive speeds, alcohol,
and times of the year were among a few of the many causes of accidents. Perhaps most
imperative for motorcyclists to know is that many accidents are caused by other motorists
failing to yield to a motorcyclists; “For the passenger vehicle drivers involved in two-vehicle
motorcycle crashes, 35 percent of the driver-related factor was failure to yield right-of-way
compared to only 4 percent for motorcycle operators.” Additionally, 85 percent of the time, the
second vehicle in 2-vehicle, fatal motorcycle crashes was a passenger vehicle.
The above information is only a fraction of the information motorcyclists need to know in order
to prepare and protect themselves on the road. And I believe that it is only through education
that motorcycle accidents can be prevented.
Gina Williams is a guest post and article writer bringing to us the dangers associated
with motorcycle riding. Gina spends much of her life writing about motorcycle accidents.
