Fatal Motorcycle Accident Caused by Drunk Driver

A tragic fatal motorcycle accident was caused by a drunk driver in Portland. Police say the driver of a passenger vehicle hit the motorcyclist and then drove herself home. She then returned to the scene of the motorcycle accident on foot, stumbling and slurring her words according to court documents. The at-fault drunk driver was booked into a detention center on charges of manslaughter, reckless driving, DUII and more. Police also say she had five previous misdemeanor convictions including DUII and reckless driving.

Statistics for Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimated per mile traveled in 2015, the number of fatal motorcycle accidents was close to 29 times the number of fatal car accidents.

• In 2016, 4,976 people died in a motorcycle crash.
• Good news is motorcycle deaths have been decreasing since the early 1980s. However, motorcycle accident fatalities began to rise again in 1998 and have continued to increase in numbers through 2008.
• Fatal motorcycle accident accounts for 13 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in 2016. Motorcycle accident deaths doubled in 2016 compared to the number of motorcycle deaths in 1997.
• Forty percent of motorcycle accident fatalities in 2016 occurred in a single-vehicle crash.
• Sixty percent of motorcycle accident deaths in 2016 occurred in multiple-vehicle crashes.

Dangers of DUI

Drunk driving is all too common in the United States. Many may say, “What’s the harm, I got home safely and no one was hurt?” Though that may be true this time, it could be different the next time. When choosing to drive drunk, you put yourself and everyone else on the road at risk. Alcohol affects the brain and changes your judgment, depth perception and vital motor skills required to drive safely. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2015 alone, 10,265 people were involved in a fatal car accident that involved an alcohol-impaired driver. On average, 12,000 people in the United States die every year in a DUI-related accident. In addition, an average of 900,000 people arrested each year for DUI/DWI. A third of those arrested are repeat offenders.

Tips to Stop Drunk Driving

The solution to this deadly problem does not solely rely on the hands of law enforcement. If everyone chose to take a cab or call a friend after drinking, we could all be a little safer on Spokane roadways. Each and every person has to make the conscious choice to not drink and drive. When you get behind the wheel of a vehicle, you are taking responsibility and pledging to be safe.

Contact a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Now

If you have suffered serious injuries following a motorcycle accident caused by the negligence of another driver, contact the experienced motorcycle accident lawyers of Parke Gordon Law Firm to handle your case. Our law firm believes every client deserves fair representation against big insurance companies with deep pockets. Call an experienced and trusted attorney at Parke Gordon now for a free consultation.