Hi All !!!! Introduction...:>) Bikers Supporting Bikers

[bikeraccsrvivor]

I am a firm believer in, if you believe in somethig with a passion, you have to pursue every avenue.

With motorcycle accidents on the rise, there is a vital need for a new MOTORCYCLE CRASH CAUSATION STUDY..therfore, I am asking you to get involved to get the entire job done. Whith Motorcycle Awareness programs and Inattentive behaviors by Motorists, it is a goal to get these concerns out in the publics eye, with all our help.

Ref: Motorcycle Crash Causation Study ( funds ) at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/factsheet5511.pdf

American Motorcycle Association
Help Fuel The Fund
Ref: http://www.amadirectlink.com/study/fuelthefund.asp

Thnk you for taking the time to read these concerns.

Garry Van Kirk
Bikers Accident Survivor Forum
www.bacsuv.com

[ofblong]

hmm why are motorcycle accidents on the rise??????

Easy because there are more morons buying them and then going out drinking thinking they can handle the bike after a couple beers. More so there are more people buying them though. Rise in motorcycle sales obviously your going to see a rise in accidents.

Honestly if this will help keep the law from illegilizing the riding of motorcycles im all for it.

[JC Viper]

You also forgot to mention the inattentive drivers who have so much disregard for those on the road esp. if they're smaller than they are. If you only mention the lack of rider training it may as well be made illegal or you have to jump through some high hoops to get a riders license and also that the police can always say a biker was at fault because they thought the rider could not handle the bike. I've heard it while on my 250cc bike.

[flynrider]

There are a lot of bikers out there that don't ride well. I don't think the percentage of untrained riders is necessarily increasing, but the huge influx of new riders over the last 5 yrs. or so, means that the absolute numbers are substantially larger.

[bikeraccsrvivor]

" Driver distraction a factor in many crashes
By CAREN HALBFINGER
THE JOURNAL NEWS

Figures
Accidents by county in which driver inattention or distraction was cited as playing a role
Westchester, 2004
-880 accidents (1 fatal, 853 injury and 26 property damage) 13.7% of all 6,425 accidents
- Third most-cited factor after following too closely and speeding
Putnam, 2004 - 85 accidents (1 fatal, 79 injury and 5 property damage) 9.8% of all 871 accidents - Fourth most-cited factor after speeding, following too closely and failure to yield
Rockland, 2004 - 409 accidents (4 fatal, 403 injury, 2 property damage) 15.6% of all 2,621 accidents
- Third most-cited factor after following too closely and failure to yield
Source: NYS Department of Motor Vehicles

(Original publication: December 24, 2006)

Maybe you stayed up too late decorating holiday cookies, assembling toys or wrapping gifts. You're exhausted, but your to-do list is still a mile long.

You get in your car and your eyes linger a little too long on an eye-catching holiday display, you make or take a phone call, dig out a new CD, or glance at the back seat while you're driving to the mall or the supermarket.

For an instant, your eyes and your mind wander, putting you, your passengers, other motorists and pedestrians at risk.

A Yonkers woman who reportedly had been putting on makeup while she drove on the Henry Hudson Parkway on Thursday morning was killed after she lost control of her car and crashed into a tree in the Bronx.

And in the past two weeks alone in Westchester and Putnam, four people were killed and two were injured in three head-on collisions.

Sadly, there's more: A pedestrian was killed in a shopping center parking lot and a police officer was injured in two separate accidents.

In each of these accidents, the weather was good and police do not suspect drugs, alcohol, mechanical failure, road conditions or speeding were factors.

"There has been an uptick in the number of accidents that appear to be the result of driver inattention,'' said State Police Capt. Michael Kopy, whose investigators are assigned to several of these accidents. "It's unfortunate, but these seem to have been much more serious. You can't allow yourself to become distracted, for five or 15 or 30 seconds. You have to remain vigilant.''

Leading causes

Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to a landmark report released earlier this year by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the accident or incident.

The main causes are multitasking and drowsiness. The most common driver distraction is a cell phone, NHTSA found, and it doesn't make much difference whether you're dialing, talking or listening. Reaching for a moving object increased the risk of a crash or near-crash by nine times; looking at something, reading, applying makeup or dialing a phone all tripled the risk, while talking or listening to a hand-held device increased the risk by 1.3 times.

"People are on their cell phones, they're playing with the radio buttons or yelling at their kids in the back seat and that contributes to a lot of accidents,'' said Eastchester Detective Sgt. Matt Kiernan.

The fatal Henry Hudson crash of Lusaed Perez, 34, of Yonkers on Thursday is just one of the most recent examples. Thomas Carrero, a Westchester County police officer who was one of the first to arrive at the scene, said Perez had mascara in her hand and all over the air bag. According to published reports, witnesses told police they saw her applying makeup as she drove.

Local crashes

The latest batch of accidents in Westchester and Putnam began Dec. 11, when Elizabeth Carlen's 2004 Honda Accord slowly drifted across the double-yellow line on Route 100 in Somers about 3 p.m. and plowed into a 1999 Audi A4. Carlen, 84, was pronounced dead at the scene. Lina Borschov, 27, who was six months' pregnant, died after the head-on collision and her newborn daughter died of complications due to her premature birth, three hours after she was delivered by Caesarean section.

"You're not going to have a lot of people tell you, 'Oh, yeah, I was leaning over picking up a CD off the floor and that's when I killed somebody,' '' said Investigator Michael Davis of State Police at Somers, who is looking into the Route 100 crash as well as another one on Route 22. "We know it happens a lot. We get that answer when there's a lot of minor fender-benders. We don't get that answer when there's a fatal accident.''

Davis said the preliminary investigation of the Carlen-Borshchov crash found the cause was improper lane usage. However, he said, "Driver inattention could very well be a factor here. There were witnesses who said she was slowly drifting into the oncoming lane. Could there have been a medical issue? It's possible. We know she didn't have a heart attack. There are some things we can never know.''

On Dec. 13, at 8:02 p.m., Susan A. Dipace, 54, of Rye was run over and killed in the Lord & Taylor parking lot by Alessandra Reis, 27, of Mount Vernon, who was driving a Chevrolet Avalanche. Witnesses said she was not speeding and tests showed she wasn't impaired by alcohol.

"The victim made her last purchase at Lord & Taylor at 8 p.m., and it happened at 8:02,'' said Eastchester Police Sgt. George Barletta, who was at the scene of the accident. "The woman just said that she didn't see her. She made the loop and stopped to motion other ladies to cross and the next thing, she said, 'I heard a thump.' I think driver inattention could have played a role, but the fact that negates it is the fact that she stopped to let two other ladies cross. A tragic accident is what it is. It's a big truck, a dark night and a small lady wearing black.''

Reis could not be reached for comment.

The next day, Brenda Burdick, 46, of Brewster was driving south on Route 22 in Patterson about 6:15 p.m. when her Honda Civic crossed the center line near Route 164. Her car hit a Dodge Neon driven by Melissa Mann, 31, of Pawling. Luckily, no one was killed. Burdick suffered internal injuries and Mann had a broken left foot and a gash on her leg, police said. Both were admitted to Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn.

State Police Sgt. Ted Daley of the Brewster barracks said police suspect that a prescription medication was a factor in the accident and have subpoenaed the hospital's toxicology reports. But he said distracted driving probably also played a role.

"Brenda Burdick crossed the center line and she stated she was upset and crying while she was driving,'' Daley said. "That's definitely a distraction. When you're concentrating on a personal matter, obviously you're not going to be concentrating on traffic around you. Obviously that could definitely be seen as a contributing factor.''

Burdick could not be reached for comment.

On Dec. 17, Robert A. Smith, 59, of Cortlandt was killed when Karen Pecora, 47, also of Cortlandt, crossed the center line in her 2002 Ford Escape at 1:49 p.m. She drove into Smith's motorcycle on Bear Mountain Bridge Road near the Monteverde at Oldstone Manor Restaurant.

State Police Investigator Kelly Pavlak of the Cortlandt barracks said it was too early to determine the cause of the accident.

"Why she crossed the double-yellow she doesn't even know,'' Pavlak said. "There wasn't any cell phone. There weren't any drugs and no alcohol. We still have to have the vehicle inspected. It does have the little black box, and the accident reconstructionists said speed was not an issue. We can't prove distracted driving. She's not admitting to anything.''

Reached through Pavlak, Pecora declined to comment.

At dusk that same day, former White Plains school board President Dorothy Schere, 66, hit a White Plains police officer who was directing traffic on Ridgeway outside the Woman's Club of White Plains. Officer Carlos Garcia, a 10-year veteran, had a concussion and numbness in one leg and remained hospitalized Thursday, but was expected to be released before Christmas, said Daniel Jackson, deputy commissioner of public safety.

"She didn't see the officer standing in the road directing traffic until he was bouncing off the hood of her car,'' Jackson said. "She stopped right away, and of course, she feels terrible about it. That's not a place where you expect to see an officer. It's an accident. It's an unfortunate one, but it's an accident.''

Reached at home, Schere said, "I don't think it was a matter of not paying attention so much as he not having any reflective material on and there were crowds of people there. It was just at dusk. I never saw him.''

Distraction factors

Daley said any driver can fall victim to a variety of distractions.

"We all take driving for granted as second nature and it's really not,'' Daley said. "We have the cell phone law, but eating in the car isn't illegal, nor is applying lipstick or shaving or reading maps. I was driving on I-84 recently and I saw someone reading a novel while driving. I got off at the next exit because I didn't want to be anywhere near that one."

"We can all learn from this," he continued. "It's something we all fall victim to. You just have to be aware of what your distractions are. If you have your full attention on the road, you may be able to avoid something that's coming your way, whether it's another car, a pedestrian, or something falling off a truck. The odds are definitely against you today. Traffic is a lot denser. We need to be more diligent and vigilant.''

Reach Caren Halbfinger at chalbfin@lohud.com or 914-694-5004. "

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs ... 018/NEWS02

[Bachstrad37]

This study pretty much sums up what I've believed since the advent of cell phone use. Combine that more motorcyclists on the road and bad-boy reputation of motorcyclists, you get a summary that of the study.

My biggest fear prior to riding was not my lack of ability. It was that idiot yacking on the cell phone that concerned me. In fact, it was the primary concern of all my friends that didn't ride. I've since accepted that risk.

Yeah, there's legislation on banning cell phone use while in a motorized vehicle. Cell phone companies have fought this and instead harped the "education" agenda. While that may help to some extent, how many people will continue doing it anyways?

There are numerous tasks attributed to inattentive driving. You're just seeing it escalated at this level due to combination of a less forgiving vehicle with spike in cell phone usage.

[bikeraccsrvivor]

Seems that the U. S. is a little behind the times...what do you think?

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Countries that ban cell phones while driving

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This page lists those countries that have banned the use of a cell phone when driving unless used with some form of hands-free kit.

Country Listing (USA in separate table at the bottom) Country
Banned
Notes

http://www.cellular-news.com/car_bans/
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Australia
Yes
Banned in all states - fines vary though.

Austria
Yes
Fines vary - up to US$22 per incident

Belgium
Yes
Phones can be used without a hands-free unit when the car is stationary - but not while in traffic (such as at traffic lights)

Brazil
Yes
Ban imposed Jan. 2001

Botswana
Being debated
The attorney general is drafting the legislation

Canada
Variable
Banned in Newfoundland (Dec2002) fines up to US$180. Discussed again October 2006.

Chile
Yes


Czech Republic
Yes


Denmark
Yes
Ban imposed July 1998 - US$60 fine for infringements

Egypt
Yes
Fines of about US$100 per offence.

Finland
Yes
Ban imposed January 2003 - US$55 fine for infringements

France
Yes
Banned 2003, EUR40 fine per infraction

Germany
Yes
Ban imposed Feb. 2001 - usage allowed without a hands-free unit only when the engine is switched off. Fine of �40 per infraction

Greece
Yes


Hong Kong
Yes


Hungary
Yes
Not often implemented by the police

India - New Delhi
Yes
New Delhi - Ban extended to ban all use of cell phones when driving, including use with a hands-free unit - July 2001

Andhra Pradesh - Ban now enforced with prison sentences


Ireland
Yes
Banned, with a US$380 and/or up to 3 months imprisonment on a third offence. Handsfree kits allowed, although that is subject to review.

Isle of Man
Yes
Banned since July 2000

Israel
Yes


Italy
Yes
Fines of up to US$124 per infraction

Japan
Yes
Ban imposed Nov. 1999

Jersey
Yes
Ban imposed Feb. 1998

Jordan
Yes
Ban imposed Oct. 2001

Kenya
Yes
Ban imposed late 2001

Malaysia
Yes


Mexico
Partial
Ban in Mexico City

Netherlands
Yes


New Zealand
Being debated
Under debate - consultation being sought from interested parties

Norway
Yes
Fines of over $600 per infraction

Pakistan
Partial
Banned in Islamabad

Philippines
Yes


Poland
Yes
Fines can be as high as US$1,000

Portugal
Yes


Romania
Yes


Russia
Yes
Ban imposed by Prime Minister - March 2001

Singapore
Yes


Slovak Republic
Yes


Slovenia
Yes


South Africa
Yes


South Korea
Yes
Ban imposed July 2001 - US$47 fine + 15 points on the license.

Spain
Yes


Sweden
Yes


Switzerland
Yes


Taiwan
Yes
If the driver is using a reflective screen on the car, local privacy laws forbid stopping the car for violating the ban.

Thailand
Yes
Bill proposed in May 2000

Turkey
Yes


Turkmenistan
Yes
Signed into law with effect from May 1st 2003, by President Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy

UK
Yes
Banned from December 2003

Zimbabwe
Yes
Ban imposed in Sept 2001, announced via official news agency only though, so not confirmed


USA states breakdown State
Banned ?
Notes


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National
Being debated
Bills being debated in the Federal government that will override local legislation


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Alabama
No


Alaska
No


Arkansas
Partial
School bus drivers are banned from using a cell phone.

Arizona
Partial
A bill to introduce a ban was lost by a 4-3 vote in the Senate Transportation Committee. Bus drivers are banned from using a cell phone

California
Yes
Bill to introduce ban failed Feb 1998. Beginning Jan. 1, 2008, violators face a US$20 fine for a first offense and a US$50 ticket for subsequent infractions.

Colorado
No
Teens with restricted licenses are banned - but can only be stoped for another violation first

Connecticut
Yes
Banned with effect from Oct. 2005 - teens are also forbidden from using handsfree kits while moving

Delaware
No
A driver can already be prosecuted for "inattentive driving" - which can include using a cell phone. Studies into the issue have been requested

District of Columbia
Yes
Banned from July 2004

Florida
Partial
State Attorney General said that cities can set local regulations - July 2001. Overturned by Governor Bush..

Georgia
Partial
School bus drivers banned from using cell phones while driving. DeKalb County has fines when crashes can be attributed to driving while using a cellphone.

Hawaii
Being debated
A bill has been introduced in Hawaii's legislature by Sen. Joseph Souki, D-Wailuku-Waiehu.

Idaho
No


Illinois
Partial
School bus drivers are banned - Chicago has passed a bill banning driving while using a phone, fines of US$50 per infraction.

Indiana
No
Ban proposed by State Sen. Rose Antich Carr - Jan 2004

Iowa
Being debated


Kansas
No
Bill to introduce ban failed in 2000

Kentucky
No


Louisiana
Being debated
Study into the effects of a ban underway

Maine
Partial
Minors and those on learner driving licenses may not use a cell phone while driving

Maryland
No
Bill to ban dropped Feb. 2001. New proposal in the House, proposed by Delegates Arnick and Mandel

Massachusetts
Partial
Bill for most users pending - but bus drivers already banned. Drivers required to keep at least one hand on the steering wheel while holding a phone.

Michigan
No


Minnesota
Partial
Teenagers and provisional drivers are banned - $100 fine plus delays in license upgrades for offenders

Mississippi
No
Legislation prevents local councils enacting their own ban.

Missouri
No


Montana
No


Nebraska
No
Bill planned by State Sen. Jim Cudaback - Jan 2004

Nevada
No
State bill to introduce ban failed April 1999. Local bill in Clark County also blocked Nov. 2001. Nevada state passed bill banning local regulations, March 2003.

New Hampshire
Partial
Not explicitly banned, but you can be prosecuted if using a cellphone when involved in an driving accident.

New Jersey
Yes
Banned from July 2004 - the fine is up to US$250

New Mexico
Partial
Being debated - local ban in the city of Santa Fe

New York
Yes
Ban effective from Nov. 2001

North Carolina
Being debated
Study into the effects of cell phone usage while driving being carried out.

North Dakota
Being debated
Bill proposed by Sen. Harvey Tallackson, D-Grafton, Feb 2005

Ohio
Partial
The City of Cleveland is discussing a ban. Ban in place in Brooklyn.

Oklahoma
No
Bill to introduce ban failed in May 1999. Legislation prevents local councils enacting their own ban.

Oregon
No
A new bill enacted in Jan 2002 forbids the local governments from implementing their own cell phone ban.

Pennsylvania
Partial
Local cities have their own laws - state legislation pending

Rhode Island
No
Governor Almond rejected a ban - July 2001. School buses are banned from using a cell phone. Proposal for a ban being debated, April 2004.

South Carolina
No


South Dakota
No


Tennessee
Partial
School buses are banned from using a cell phone

Texas
No
Bill proposed for 2005 by Rodney Ellis and fellow Democrat Rep. Jose Menendez of San Antonio

Utah
No
Bill to introduce ban failed March 1998. Highland city planning a ban - Feb 2005

Vermont
No


Virginia
Partial
Bill failed in Dec. 1998 - but it only applied to school bus drivers. Passed a bill in Aug. 2001 to look for any impact on safety by the use of a cell phone while driving. Bill banning minors passed Jan 2005.

Washington
No
Bill to introduce ban failed Jan 2001. New laws proposed Q1 2005

West Virginia
No
Bill proposed in 1999, but never debated

Wisconsin
No
Bill to introduce ban failed in April 1998. Bill to ban younger drivers only being debated.

Wyoming
No
Bill proposed by Rep. Floyd Esquibel but not debated



Information is understood to be correct at the time of going to press - please notify us of any oversights by using the contact us option on the bottom menu.

Last update 11th Nov 2006 [url][/url]

[JC Viper]

Wow, I actually posted something that was a "right" answer.

Speaking of countries that ban cellphone use while driving in Germany it's considered a criminal offense giving off gestures to other drivers.