May Is Motorcycle is Motorcycle Awareness Month, But Do The CAGER’s Know This?

May Is Motorcycle is Motorcycle Awareness Month But Do The CAGER’s Know This?
Fort Lauderdale, FL
By  Gabe Carrera, Esq.

May is a month set aside by who knows who making idiots aware that they  stop maiming and killing motorcyclist. It’s not a hard thing to do all they have to do is stop placing their make-up on during early morning rush hour or keeping their eyes off the cell and place it on what’s happening in front of them.  Now that more bikers are coming out of that permafrost thaw and warming up their iron horses -heading into the freedom of the wind, more and more are in ill fate’s bull’s eye. How can you help? Glad ya asked…….share this article on your social media and then continue reading below!

The National Safety Council posted some stats on motorcycle accidents for 2016:

“In 2016, 4,976 motorcycle riders and passengers died in crashes, and nonfatal injuries that year totaled 88,000, according to Injury Facts® 2017, the statistical compendium on unintentional deaths and injuries published by NSC. Fatalities among motorcycle riders and passengers have increased nearly 3{6afdcdf14f1f3d0d6d046bdd6bb6844d1d6f78a435ef85ae323b1d28ccc5d3f7} from 2006, driven largely by an 8{6afdcdf14f1f3d0d6d046bdd6bb6844d1d6f78a435ef85ae323b1d28ccc5d3f7} increase in 2015.

• Motorcycles make up 3{6afdcdf14f1f3d0d6d046bdd6bb6844d1d6f78a435ef85ae323b1d28ccc5d3f7} of all registered vehicles and only .7{6afdcdf14f1f3d0d6d046bdd6bb6844d1d6f78a435ef85ae323b1d28ccc5d3f7} of all vehicle miles traveled in the U.S.
• Motorcyclists accounted for 13{6afdcdf14f1f3d0d6d046bdd6bb6844d1d6f78a435ef85ae323b1d28ccc5d3f7} of all traffic fatalities in 2016
• 26{6afdcdf14f1f3d0d6d046bdd6bb6844d1d6f78a435ef85ae323b1d28ccc5d3f7} of riders who died in a motorcycle crash in 2016 were alcohol-impaired
• 91{6afdcdf14f1f3d0d6d046bdd6bb6844d1d6f78a435ef85ae323b1d28ccc5d3f7} of riders who died in a motorcycle crash in 2016 were male

Even the news centers in Florida are taking to the airwaves to bring this awareness to the blue-hair old ladies that just got re-planted from their northern states. Hopefully they didnt take a bathroom break during this news segment that does their best to inform in efforts to save lives.

In the end you MUST ride defensively and max out on Uninsured motorist insurance………..stacked! Yes its freaking expensive but if you drink $30 a week less you can have $300K insurance protecting you when that person who might hit you has a crummy $10K bodily injury policy and no assets to go after. Happens all the time and I see it at my law practice (Attorney That RIDES!). I support the rider’s right to wear a bucket or not but I find myself wearing a helmet more and more after each motorcycle accident I sign up to defend.

For now I recommend that we share the “May Is Motorcycle is Motorcycle Awareness Month” ad on your social media and ask your peeps to share it on their page. Review your gear and insurance coverage. Tip: when it comes to buying motorcycle insurance think about “protecting” your body in case of an accident not the other person’s car! Lastly…….protective gear helps even in low speed fender/benders. Bottom line is the cager does not care until the cops show up and its the same old song…………”I didnt see them!”