• 24
  • August
    2011

A spate of fatal motorcycle accidents on one California highway highlights the importance of putting safety first while on the road. On June 17, a 35-year-old Fontana man failed to navigate a left-hand curve in the road while operating his 2007 Honda motorcycle. The rider, who was traveling eastbound on State Route 2, ran off of the road and onto the asphalt shoulder. From there, he was ejected from the bike. The man and the motorcycle fell down a steep embankment, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident marked the fourth time in a three-week period this summer that a motorcyclist was involved in a serious accident on the Angeles Crest Highway, which was recently reopened. On the same day that the Fontana man was killed, another motorcyclist was seriously injured in an accident near mile marker 47. Two other fatal injuries have taken place on that freeway since it reopened; both of them occurred on June 10.

The unpleasant news highlights a very important fact: When motorcycles go up against cars, trucks and SUVs, riders often lose their lives. According to statistics, a motorcycle rider is 27 times more likely to die as a result of a traffic accident. The most common reason for these types of incidents to occur involves other drivers' failure to see motorcycles in time. Often, cars switch lanes without noticing that a motorcycle is already there. What would be a simple sideswipe accident with another car can easily turn fatal when a motorcycle is involved.

These sobering facts make it abundantly clear that motorcycle safety is critical. To stay safe, motorcyclists need to stay as alert as possible at all times. Distractions must be avoided at all costs. It pays for a motorcyclist to take a training course because such courses teach strategies for staying safe on the road. Furthermore, motorcycle riders should take care not to travel in cars' blind spots. On top of all of that, it is critical for motorcyclists to practice defensive driving at all times. There is simply no room for error when it comes to going head-to-head with motor vehicles.

Source: Fatal Accident No. 3 on Reopened Angeles Crest Highway