August 05, 2010
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Recently, a Hatfield resident, Jeffrey Penna, was seriously injured when his motorcycle struck another vehicle. According to police, Penna crashed into the back of a car making a left turn onto another road. He was taken by helicopter to a local hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the car was not hurt in the accident.
The accident serves as a reminder that in the summer more and more motorcyclists hit the road. In Pennsylvania alone there are more than 800,000 licensed riders. Motorcyclists and drivers of cars alike need to be conscious of their surroundings when on the road.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, motorcycle accident fatalities have increased every year for the past 11 years, as motorcycle sales and the number of riders has increased. Due to their lack of protection, motorcyclists are at a distinct disadvantage when involved in an accident with an automobile and riders need to take extreme caution to protect themselves while riding.
Staying Safe
One of the best ways to protect yourself when riding a motorcycle is to wear a helmet. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that helmets reduce the likelihood of a crash fatality by 37 percent. In Pennsylvania, all riders during the first two years of their licensure are required to wear a helmet, unless they have taken an approved safety course. All riders under 21 years of age must wear a helmet when operating a motorcycle.
As with any motor vehicle, you should never drink and drive. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association notes that in 2008, nearly 30 percent of motorcyclists involved in a fatal accident had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 percent; compared with only 23 percent of drivers of cars.
Pennsylvania's Motorcycle Safety Program
In 1984, the Pennsylvania legislature created the Motorcycle Safety Program (MSP). This program was developed to teach riders the basics of motorcycle operation and the best ways to stay safe on the road. The course is free to all Pennsylvania riders with a valid license and has trained over 365,000 riders since its inception, with 69 training sites around the state.
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