Motorcycle Death and Injury: A Growing Public Health Concern.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, a woman was killed in an accident on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge. The accident occurred around 3:20 a.m. on the lower level of the bridge and was Manhattan bound.

Unusually, the accident involved two motorcycles. The drivers of the two motorcycles each had a passenger on the back of their bikes, police said. Officials are still conducting interviews and investigating the events leading up to the crash. However, it is believed that one of the bikes rear-ended the other. It appears that they were both trying to exit the ramp into Manhattan at the time of the accident.

The authorities said, a passenger from the front motorcycle fell off when the two bikes collided, and was tragically ran over by the rear motorcycle. The passenger, a 32-year-old woman from the Bronx, was pronounced dead at the scene. The name of the victim will be released after the family is notified.

The other three people involved in the crash were taken to a nearby hospital and were in stable condition.

The 28 year-old Bronx male that was driving the trailing motorcycle and who ran over the victim was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired.

Since 2000, Motorcycle-related deaths have increased by 55%. Motorcycle crashes killed 4,502 people in 2010.2 Motorcycle crashes that result in debilitating injuries and deaths is a growing public health concern.

“Our role is to identify ways to prevent injury and death and rigorously check what works and what does not work. For motorcycle safety, the research shows that universal helmet laws are the most effective way to reduce the number of deaths and traumatic brain injuries that result from crashes.” – Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC Director.

Unless more effective protective measures are enforced, motorcycle-related deaths and traumatic brain injuries are expected to remain at high levels. With motorcycle ownership at an all-time high, enacting the universal helmet law nationwide seems to be the single most effective means of reducing the number of people who get injured or die from motorcycle crashes. Wearing helmets that meet the Department of Transportation (DOT) standard should be mandatory for all riders and passengers.

The proof is in the numbers, helmets reduce the likelihood of death in a motorcycle crash by 37%.23. Helmets saved the lives of 1,544 motorcycle riders in 2010 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated.

The leading cause of motorcycle crash deaths is traumatic brain injury. But death is not always the result. The victim of a motorcycle crash can also suffer debilitating head injuries. This could mean severe emotional trauma for family and friends and a lifetime of costly rehabilitation. Treating severe traumatic brain injuries costs 13 times more than non-brain injuries. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 69%. Riders who do not wear a helmet are 40% more likely to die from a head injury than someone wearing a helmet.

Having an experienced New York Personal Injury Attorney is crucial when an injury is serious or results in death. If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident or someone you loved was killed in a motorcycle accident it is important to contact a New York personal injury attorney. They can start the financial recovery process for you by launching an insurance claim. Wrongful death and major injury claims are complicated and are often too difficult to manage without legal help. New York Personal Injury Attorneys Pulvers Thompson have been assisting the greater New York area for over 70 years. Contact them to help ensure your legal rights are protected. They can assist you in recovering fair compensation for lost wages, medical costs due to related injuries, long-term diminished quality of life, and loss of life compensation for immediate family.