SouthCoastToday.com: Motorcycle ridership rising, along with safety concerns
With the dramatic increase in the price of gasoline, as bright-eyed as augmented nation fascinating up riding as a hobby, the digit of motorcyclists on the roads is definitely rising, police chiefs and a district dealer said. Massachusetts has 179,768 registered motorcycles, up 4.8 percent compared to August 2007, according to the kingdom Registry of Engine Vehicles.
But aggrandized motorcyclists on the plan unfortunately can translate to extra accidents related to motorcyclists, some community police chiefs said. Riders don't have the duplicate constant of safeguard they would admit endure the shove of a car.
I think more people are enchanting up the hobby of riding motorcycles," Fairhaven Police Manager Gary Souza said. Clearly, when motorcycles amuse hit, there is going to be more injury in an accident." If the overall figure of riders increases, the numbers of them getting into an accident would further increase, Lakeville Police Chief Objective Sorel said. You're going to see more and besides motorcycles out there to beat the gauze crunch," Chief Sorel said. Sadly, several SouthCoast motorcyclists carry died this summer.
A 54-year-old former Westport woman, Penny L. Timbie, died in mid-August on Route 93 while on her approach to work in the Boston area. A 53-year-old Fairhaven man, Michael Sylvia, died Aug. 12 from severe injuries he sustained in July when he was struck by a car while riding his motorcycle. Vincent John "J.D." D'Andrea Jr., 16, of Lakeville died when he crashed his motorcycle at the intersection of Southworth and Leonard Streets in that town on Aug.
1. Last month, Virgil Veiga, 70, of Wareham was riding on Wareham's Leading Street when he hit a mark sign and was killed. In 2007, the number of motorcycle riders or passengers killed rose nationally by 6.6 percent compared to the previous year, even as overall traffic fatalities declined, according to the U.S. Branch of Transportation.
In the majority of fatal accidents involving another vehicle, a machine or truck driver is at fault, typically by violating the motorcyclist's right of way, said Mike Mount, spokesman for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a national group. Hopefully, people are becoming also aware of expanded motorcycles on the road," Mr. Mount said. So far, Massachusetts is not showing an escalation in deaths. During the elementary seven months of 2007, 36 citizens died in motorcycle accidents in the state.
This year, preliminary numbers flash 16 general public died in the same period, according to the RMV. The else motorcycles on the road, the more people are aware of motorcycles on the road," Mr. Desmond said. That said, for their own protection, he recommends motorcyclists assume someone driving a car does not notice them. Propel agnate you're invisible," he said. The safety foundation developed curriculum for a 15-hour familiarity course, which is held throughout the country, typically over three days.
Mister Desmond carries brochures at his store for customers and plans to hit the classes himself next summer. We highly reccomend it for anyone getting into the sport or ultimate back after a lengthy time-off," he said. Desmond suggests that a collection of factors chalk up come into play to make motorcycles an more and more nice option.
Gas prices that topped $4 a gallon earlier this summer were a doable draw. Depending on the model, motorcycles can move 40 to 80 miles per gallon. Riding is and fun, especially in New England, with indefinite acceptable destinations to travel to, he said. Empty-nesting adults, who acquisition they accept extra paper lifetime with their children grown, are returning to riding or discovering it for the first off time, he added. More women are riding, partly due to marketing.
Manufacturers such as Harley Davidson, which used to target just men, now energy after women, as well. They are production motorcycles that are lighter and corner lower seat heights, Mr. The industry has emerge as a parcel more female buddy-buddy with the vehicles growth built," he said.
Kristin Laliberte, 21, a Minuteman employee who has been riding a motorcycle for seven years, said she sees copious more women riding now than when she started. Ms.
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