Motorcycle accident deaths on the rise in DC area

What do Chris Ford, Marc Grant and Tony Trilli have in common?  All three were motorcyclists  killed in the DC area in the same 36 hour period a few weeks back. 

On August 24, 2009, the Washington Post published an article examining possible causes of what appears to be a significant increase in motorcycle deaths in the DC area this year. 

The big question, of course, is why?  According to the author, the increase may simply be due to an increase in the amount of traffic in the region generally, including more bikes on the road.  A secondary, but equally important issue however, is whether the negligence of the motorcyclists or the cars is the most frequent cause of bike crashes and fatalities.

According to the famous “Hurt Report,” the most comprehensive study of motorcycle accidents ever undertaken (and sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1981), in multiple vehicle accidents, “the driver of the other vehicle violated the motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those accidents.”  That’s right.  Two out of three accidents were the car’s fault. 

Without doubt, I am biased on this issue.  As a lawyer who represents a lot of injured motorcyclists, I believe that motorists are to blame most of the time.  But however you view the issue, in my opinion, motorists and bikers alike need to exercise even greater caution out there if we are to reverse this disturbing trend of death and mayhem.  Innocent lives depend on it.