The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report last month that showed the number of motorcycle deaths dropped two percent in the first nine months of last year. From January through February of 2010, there were 80 fewer motorcycle deaths than in the same period of 2009. Safety experts, however, fear that the dip is only temporary instead of a permanent improvement in safety.
Despite the drop in the first nine months of 2010, motorcycle deaths again climbed in the last three months of that year. One safety expert said the slowing economy is why there were less motorcycle deaths in 2010. Now that the economy is on an apparent upswing, there will be more recreational riders on the road and more motorcycle accidents.
Another expert disagrees, saying that the slowing economy has increased ridership. Motorcycles are more fuel-efficient than automobiles and it is a transportation choice, not a sport, according to the expert.
Another trend in the first nine months of 2010 is that the number of motorcyclists wearing impact-absorbing helmets dropped 13 percent. Riders are choosing to wear the lighter “novelty” helmets, which offer little in the way of protection.
Contact a New Orleans accident lawyer if you suffer injuries in a motorcycle accident. An experienced and skilled New Orleans accident attorney can provide financial compensation and security for your injuries.