Look Twice, Save a Life: Protecting Michigan’s Motorcyclists

Over the years, we’ve written numerous articles discussing both the pleasures and the dangers of motorcycling in Michigan. We talked about the tragedy of traumatic brain injuries, many of which can be linked to Michigan’s relatively lax motorcycle helmet law. We’ve covered the unique physics of motorcycles, which can lead to crashes that endanger both riders and their passengers. On the other hand, we’ve also noted that no other experience is quite so freeing as riding your bike on an empty highway lined by colorful trees on a cool autumn day.

It goes without saying that riding comes with risks and rewards that people who drive only cars, trucks, and SUVs might not ever realize or enjoy. Motorcycles are the smallest vehicles on the road, and their diminutive size makes them highly vulnerable in accidents. Riders have little protection from such hazards as road rash, broken bones, and many other potentially tragic results of close encounters with larger vehicles. And many times, careless drivers are to blame for injuries motorcyclists can unfortunately sustain on the roads.

That’s why it’s just as critical for automobile and SUV drivers to be aware of motorcycles as it is for riders to watch out for trucks and other larger vehicles that might be coming in their direction. In fact, it’s so important that the State of Michigan has sponsored Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and the “Look Twice, Save a Life” campaign since it first began in 2019. Over just a few years since they began, we’ve seen highly positive results from these efforts, with state officials reporting a 33 percent increase in drivers saying they always look twice for motorcycles before making a turn. That’s good news, but there are still thousands of deadly crashes statewide involving motorcycles annually – more than 3,000 accidents and over 160 deaths in 2023, the last year for which we have complete statistics.

With more than 600,000 Michiganders licensed to ride motorcycles, it’s vitally important to always be aware of the possible presence of riders. In our motorcycle injury law practice we have seen countless incidents where riders have successfully brought suit against irresponsible drivers who were proved to have caused innocent motorcyclists to experience permanent serious disfigurement, serious impairment of body function, or even death. You certainly don’t want to be blamed for having caused these kinds of life-altering – or life-ending – injuries to another human being. Here are just a couple of examples to consider, proving that it’s crucial for riders to always wear helmets… and for other drivers to “Look Twice to Save a Life.”

The tragedy of Jesus Moreno, crushed by an inattentive bus driver

Talented tri-athlete and graphic designer Jesus Moreno had his life forever changed when a bus driver ran a red light, crushing him as it ran over his motorcycle. Moreno survived, thanks no doubt to the fact that he was wearing a helmet and protective gear, but the loss of his right hand, and the impact upon his brain resulting in difficulty speaking, seeing and hearing, will be with him for the rest of his life. We won what turned out to be the largest personal injury settlement of the year for this unfortunate rider. But despite the help that such monetary compensation will provide, he will never be the same as he was before the accident.

Matt Creasey, memories of a crash that could have been far worse

Motorcycle rider Matt Creasey felt he might be going a bit too fast down a steep hill, so he attempted to slow down his bike. Unfortunately, he lost control and flew into a parked car with enough force to pop open its trunk lid. His favorite bike was totaled, and he suffered painful abrasions, losing skin on his hands, feet, and shoulders. Fortunately, though, he credits the helmet he’d received from his mom for his birthday just two days beforehand for saving him from more serious injuries or even death. “That helmet saved my life,” he recalls. As we’ve already noted, however, hundreds of other riders in Michigan aren’t so lucky.

Watch out for these danger zones – whether

you’re driving a car or riding a motorcycle

We’ll conclude this article by drawing your attention to a previous posting that identified Michigan’s most dangerous spots for motorcycle riders (including the motorcycle “Bermuda Triangle” of Wayne County!) and another article describing some of the most terrifying motorcycle accidents in Michigan history. While the first article was published a couple of years ago, many of these same places remain hazards today… and there are also additional risks posed by the statewide mission to install roundabouts (a.k.a. traffic circles) in high-traffic intersections where bikes mix closely with cars/trucks/SUVs and can be subjected to such dangers as loose gravel alongside inattentive drivers who sometimes have difficulty remaining in their defined lanes.

To sum it all up, drivers and bikers alike have a shared responsibility to operate their vehicles safely to help prevent innocent people from experiencing serious injuries such as those we’ve described here. We truly hope you’ll never have an experience like those we’ve described. But if you are ever hurt by another driver through no fault of your own – whether you’re on your bike or in another vehicle – know that we’re here to help you receive fair compensation for your pain and suffering so you can recover from your injuries and live your best life possible. Give us a call at 855-MIKE-WINS (855-645-3946) and we promise we’ll be there for you.