Vehicle accidents of any kind can result in serious injuries. Due to their nature, motorcycle accidents can cause catastrophic injuries, even when the rider is following all safety protocols. In some good news, 2013 saw an improvement in the number of motorcycle accidents.
In 2012, 116 individuals died in motorcycle accidents. In 2013, 84 people died as a result of motorcycle-related accidents. That’s a 28 percent drop, which a spokesperson with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation said is a good trend that authorities want to continue. Motorcycle accidents weren’t the only incidents to see a positive trend in 2013. Total vehicle accident deaths fell from 601 in 2012 to 530 in 2013.
According to a state DOT spokesperson, several factors may have played a role in the reduction. First, he said that poor weather reduced the number of motorcycles on the road. He said that safety campaigns have also helped. These included messages about the danger of distracted or drunken driving. Wisconsin’s DOT also provided mobile motorcycle classes.
An officer with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department said that authorities are also hopeful that 2013 numbers for drunk driving accidents will be lower than in the past. Those numbers aren’t yet available. According to the same officer, Wisconsin drivers of all ages, but teens in particular, seem to be “taking safety more seriously.”
Of course, accident numbers will ever reach zero when multiple drivers are sharing road space. Paying attention to safety is a good way to protect yourself on the road. If safety measures fail and you or a loved on is injured in a motorcycle accident, then paying attention to legal issues is a good way to protect your future.
Source: Post Crescent, “Traffic fatalities drop sharply in Wisconsin in 2013” Andy Thompson, Jan. 15, 2014
