Warmer weather brings increased chances of a motorcycle accident

Tennessee surgeons at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are preparing themselves for what they call “trauma season.”  With the first signs of warmer weather, five motorcycle accident victims were treated for injuries on one Sunday in mid March. One did not survive.

The season motorcycle season started early this year due to an early warm spell. According to the doctors, April to September is typically considered as trauma season because the number of patients treated for major trauma increases by 50 percent. All-Terrain Vehicle, motorcycle and bicycling activities increase during warmer weather, which leads to increased major trauma injuries.

According to an associate professor of surgery, the aforementioned activities require careful focus and awareness of safety measures. The importance of safety helmets and the crucial role it plays in saving lives was also stressed. Tennessee has a universal motorcycle law, which has been in force since 1967, which is credited with saving at least 46 lives in 2010.

ATV riders, bikers and cyclists may do all in their power to ensure their safety, but when they are involved in an accident with a larger motor vehicle, the chances of serious injury — or worse — are great. A victim of a motorcycle accident or similar collision, or the family of a deceased victim, may choose to file a civil claim based upon evidence of negligence by another party. When a court finds that another party’s negligent acts caused or materially contributed to an accident, it may award the plaintiff/s a monetary judgment for any documented financial damages sustained.

Source: wbko.com, “Vanderbilt Trauma Surgeons See Increase in Motorcycle Crashes with Springtime Weather“, Jennifer Wetzel, March 20, 2015