Still THINK Speeding on a Motorcycle is Cool?

Via MattarMedia - We have been blogging about motorcycle safety all month to commemorate Motorcycle Awareness Month. Today we are going to talk about speeding and the importance of staying within the posted speed limits.

Speeding is dangerous irregardless of how experienced a driver you are, how well you "know" the roads, or what the road conditions are. We know what it's like to be late for something or to be in a hurry to get where you are going, but speeding is not the answer. Besides making you an aggressive driver, speeding also increases your likelihood of getting into an accident and decreases your ability to react to obstacles or situations in your path.

A common error made by many drivers is thinking that you are safe when you are close to home, which can lead to careless or distracted driving. There are many of us who can probably attest to having driven home on "auto pilot", where you don't even remember making the turns. The reality is that a large proportion of accidents happen within just a few miles of your home. It is never safe to assume that the roads you "know" so well should be treated any differently than roads you have never traveled on before.

This video is yet another creative collaboration by the United Kingdom as part of their THINK! Safety Campaign. Watching it will definitely make you THINK before speeding.

What not to do on a Motorcycle...

Via MattarMedia - In honor of Motorcycle Safety Month, we have been blogging about different topics aimed at keeping you safe and informed about motorcycle riding. So when we saw this news article in our feed this morning, we had to bring it to you as What Not to Do on a motorcycle.

As reported by an Albany, NY news source:

An Esperance man on his motorcycle led police on a high-speed chase late Friday night, running red lights, sideswiping a car and went flying after hitting a parked car, police said.

Morgan Henness, 21, was charged with DWI, Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer, Reckless Driving and several other traffic violations, police said.

Henness was riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle on Madison Avenue when he ran through a red light at Madison Avenue and Quail Street, police said. A patrol officer witnessed it and tried to pull Henness over near the entrance to Washington Park at Madison Avenue and New Scotland.

Police say Henness actually accelerated, sideswiping another vehicle that was traveling in the same direction on Madison Avenue. Henness ran through the red light at Willet Street then lost control of his motorcycle and hit a parked car at Madison and Delaware Avenues, police said.

Henness was thrown from the bike and sustained injuries from the accident. He was taken to Albany Medical Center for treatment. His condition is unknown at this time but his injuries were not life threatening, police said.

Hmm....wonder what he did wrong?  Where do we begin?!  Let's see....there's the drinking and riding, evading the police, hitting other vehicles, and being ejected from the motorcycle, just for a few starters.  We sincerely recommend not taking a page from Mr. Henness' book, and do not encourage this type of riding. 

Hey! Watch out for that motorcycle!

Via MattarMedia - May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and we have been commemorating it by posting some helpful safety tips since last week (be sure to check out some of those informational articles).

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 70% of motorcycle-vehicle collisions occur at intersections. As motorists, we need to be aware of everything that is going on around us. Often times, a motorcycle or bicycle can be overlooked or completely out of view in your blind spot.

Watch this eye-opening video to see how simple it is to miss a motorcycle. Please remember to always look twice for bikes - it only takes a second of your time and it's easier than living with the consequences.

[You can also view other great videos at MattarMedia.]

Why older motorcyclists should be careful

Via MattarMedia - Riding a motorcycle can be risky business. Now, a new study shows that older motorcyclists are at an even greater risk.

As reported by YNN:

Motorcycle riders across the country are growing older, and the impact of this trend is being seen in emergency rooms daily. That’s according to a recent study published in the March issue of the American Surgeon. Doctors are finding that these aging road warriors are more likely to be injured or die compared to their younger counterparts.

Despite the warnings, riders themselves say it’s worth the risk. In only ten years on her bike, Grace Rizzo has become a pro, but even the most experienced rider can run into trouble. That's just what happened to Grace two years ago during a trip through the Smokey Mountains in Georgia.

"And I slipped on some gravel and went down and the bike landed on top of me," said Rizzo. By the time help arrived, the heat from the motorcycle burned through her leg right down to the bone. "The accident was almost three years ago it took almost two years for me to be actually being walking again," Rizzo said.

According to a national study, Grace's story is all too common among older riders. "It tells us that people getting injured on motorcycles appear to be getting older. It's possibly a result of the 'Baby Boomer Generation' continuing on with their motorcycle activity," said Dr. Mark Gestring Assistant Professor of Surgery and Emergency Medicine at the University of Rochester.

Gestring co-authored the study that tracked more than 61,000 motorcyclists over a ten year period. Between 1996 and 2005, researchers found the average age of motorcyclists involved in crashes increased from approximately 34 to 39 years, and the proportion of injured riders above the age of 40 increased from around 28 percent to close to 50 percent.

For riders above the age of 40, injury severity, length of stay in the hospital or intensive care unit, and mortality were higher compared to riders below the age of 40. The risk of dying was one-and-a-half to two times more likely in riders over 40, based on the severity of the original injury. The study also found that older riders are more likely to die from less severe injuries than younger riders.

Even before her accident, Rizzo knew how dangerous riding could be. As a nurse in an intensive care unit she tells her patients to take precautions. As a lover of the open road she has a different message.

"Keep riding. Enjoy life. You never know. Just be careful," Rizzo added.

Check back this week for some safety tips and more information about motorcycling. Please remember to ride safe!

Beating the odds after a life-threatening accident

Via MattarMedia - A Rochester man, who was never expected to survive after a serious motorcycle crash in August, celebrated his 19th birthday Saturday.

Vinnie Williams is beating the odds. Family and friends came together at Monroe Community Hospital for his birthday.

Three months ago, doctors said if Williams lived, he'd be in a vegetative state and on a ventilator the rest of his life.

Today, he's breathing on his own, communicating with his eyes and moving the left side of his body. His family says it's an answer to prayer, and his birthday is something to celebrate.

"So it's always a beautiful thing to see people that you love to come together as a family and just support one another and just stay together as one, says Corey Jackson, a family friend.

Williams was hurt in a motorcycle accident back in late August at the corner of West Main and Brown Street. Police say he turned in front of a truck.

His mother tells us he's making progress every day and that she's holding on to her faith during his recovery.

Motorcycle crash in Niagara County

Via MattarMedia NIAGARA COUNTY (WIVB) - A motorcyclist was airlifted to the hospital early Sunday morning after authorities say he crashed into a deer in Niagara County.

Niagara County authorities say the driver was travelling on Johnson Creek Road a little before two this morning when he crashed into a deer near Bradley Road.

He was taken to ECMC by Mercy Flight.

His name and condition are not known.

Motorcycle crash shut down parts of 198

via MattarMedia BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - An early morning motorcyle crash in Buffalo shut down part of the Scajaquada Expressway for hours.

It happened in the west-bound lanes of the 198, a little before 1 a.m. Wednesday. Police have not released any names or conditions.