Davis Law Group, P.S.

Two injured in North Bonneville motorcycle crash

Story Highlights:
Two injured in North Bonneville accident
Motorcycle collision caused by inattention



Date: June 4, 2011, 06/04/2011
Location: North Bonneville, Skamania County, Washington
Type: Motorcycle accident, Motor vehicle collision
Outcome: Two injured

Two people were hospitalized after a motorcycle accident in North Bonneville on Saturday.

Just after 10:30 a.m. 53-year-old Michael Walker was driving on Highway 14 with his 52-year-old passenger Victoria Walker when he failed to negotiate a left turn. The motorcycle swerved off the road and into a ditch, throwing both riders.

 They were transported to Southwest Washington Medical Center with various injuries like a broken ankle and wrist. Both people were wearing helmets.

Police reported that the cause of the crash was inattention and charges are pending.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

• The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.
• Fifty-five percent of all reported fatal motorcycle crashes occurring nationally in 1998 involved multiple vehicle crashes and 45% occurred in single-vehicle crashes.
• Five crash types account for 86% of fatal motorcycle crashes: motorcycle runs-off-road 41%, motorcycle or other vehicle runs traffic control 18%, head-on collision 11%, car turns in front of cycle 8% and motorcycle goes down in roadway 7%.
• Forty-five percent of deaths in single-vehicle motorcycle crashes in 1998 included drivers with blood alcohol concentration at or above 0.10%.
• Nine out of 10 motorcycle deaths in 1998 were males. Seventy-seven percent of the females who died in a motorcycle crash were passengers and 98% of males who died were drivers.

NHTSA Distracted Driving Accident Statistics

• 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving.
• Of those killed in distracted-driving-related crashed, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes).
• In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving.
• The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group – 16 percent of all drivers younger than 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported to have been distracted while driving.
• Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.
• Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.

Seattle Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Motorcycle drivers are often exposed to situations in which there is a possibility serious injuries from a motorcycle accident. If you have been in a motorcycle accident in Washington State, you may be facing severe injuries, physical pain, emotional distress, and financial hardships you may need the help of a Washington motorcycle accident attorney. Chris Davis and the Washington motorcycle accident attorneys at Davis Law Group are experienced in helping injured motorcyclists in Washington obtain fair compensation for their losses. Our Washington based motorcycle lawyers can assist you in all aspects of your case including: questions about motorcycle repair or replacement, dealing with insurance adjustors, making sure your medical bills are paid, documenting your lost work and wages, and obtaining a fair settlement.