Regional motorcyclists die in crashes at higher rate than other drivers

Motorcyclists for several years suffered injury and death in wrecks at a rate disproportionate to other drivers in the region, according to state transportation statistics requested by the friend of one killed motorcyclist and the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance.

The friend, Martin Munguia, is working with MOTRAN President James Beauchamp to create an event that will encourage biker safety, inspired by the death of 36-year-old Joe Anthony Montemayor in a Feb. 5 crash on Big Spring Street in Midland.

The statistics were provided by the Texas Department of Transportation and cover the 12-county Odessa District for the years 2008 through 2012. They show that the number of crashes, deaths and injuries involving motorcycles remained mostly consistent (see breakout).

But the statistics also show a persistent and deadly problem when compared to total accidents.

The last two years, coinciding with the oil boom, saw great increases in crashes. In 2012, when there were 425,091 registered vehicles in the region, crashes increased 18 percent. Fatalities increased 47 percent to a total 147. And 10 of those people killed in 2012 were motorcyclists or their passengers.

“Unless you’ve got 42,549 registered motorcycles out there, it means your fatalities among motorcyclists are higher compared to the rest of the population,” Beauchamp said.

Munguia and Beauchamp are lobbying Midland and Odessa to issue official proclamations declaring a biker awareness day and they are still finding both a date and location for the event. Munguia has said he hopes to have the event next month, and Beauchamp has said he hopes to fold the event into the Drive Smart campaign, which includes outreach about issues like distracted driving.

“The bikers, they’re a close knit group and I think a couple of these recent fatalities have hit them pretty hard,” Beauchamp told the Odessa American last week. “It all comes back to awareness.”

Beyond the greater risk of injury should an accident occur, motorcyclists are less visible than cars and trucks, and drivers tend to have greater difficulty gauging their speed, Beauchamp said. Most accidents involving motorcycles happen during a turn.

Odessa spokesman Gene Powell said 2011 figures show 470 motorcycle fatalities statewide, accounting for 16 percent of traffic deaths. Motorcyclists are five times more likely to be injured in a traffic accident and 25 times more likely to die.

TxDOT’s Share the Road motorcycle safety campaign begins next month, which emphasizes many of the same safety measures promoted by Munguia and MOTRAN.

For greater safety, MOTRAN urges drivers to give motorcyclists more space, wait longer before turning when one is approaching and, generally, to pay more attention. Meanwhile, the agency urges motorcyclists to wear helmets, obey traffic laws and make themselves more visible through means such as blinkers, hand signals and running lights.


_____________________________________
Source: OA (Paul, 3/13)

Hundreds of accidents blamed on Houston road rage

From fender benders to fatalities, from fists flying to guns blazing, enraged drivers in the greater Houston area have caused more than 900 motor vehicle accidents that injured hundreds and killed five over the last five years, according to crash data from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Road-rage crashes across Texas peak during evening rush hour, with nearly one out of four occurring between 4 and 7 p.m. Most of the time, angry men are involved, and the most commonly used vehicle is a truck.

One such incident, on Oct. 19, 2010, ended in the shooting death of 49-year-old Ted Mitsakos after he honked at a black Chevrolet pickup for cutting him off near the Southwest Freeway and Beltway 8. Security cameras captured Mitsakos' white Dodge truck being aggressively chased by the Chevrolet's driver and shot at along the way.

After a bullet struck Mitsakos in the head, his truck hit an SUV, then smashed into an apartment bedroom at the Timbers of Keegans Bayou complex on West Bellfort.

"They chased him all the way for miles and shot eight times to make sure he is dead? The whole thing is crazy," said Melanie Zeroni, Mitsakos' widow.

Jose Gerado Silva, 25, has been charged with murder, and police are seeking more suspects.

HPD turns to stealth

The 900 road-rage crashes reported by the DOT include only altercations that involve vehicle accidents. Overall, crashes in Houston and Texas decreased from 2007 through 2011.

The Houston Police Department credits the use of stealth vehicles to target aggressors.

"Most aggressive drivers don't realize they are passing a police vehicle until it's too late," said HPD spokesman John Cannon. "We'd like to think these efforts have helped to keep the numbers stable."

The decrease in crashes surprised some.

"I wouldn't think road rage or aggressive driving is decreasing, especially in large metropolitan areas when we have more serious traffic congestion, which is certainly a trigger," said Scott Cooner, a research engineer at Texas Transportation Institute who studies road construction to reduce accidents.

Houston's largest likely spots for angry drivers - where incidents have happened repeatedly - are in the Galleria area and on U.S. 59 between Kirby and Weslayan, according to the Chronicle's analysis of the data.

San Antonio's Bexar County cited road rage as a contributing factor in 680 wrecks, more than the 596 in Harris County and the 545 in Tarrant County.

It's unclear whether the crash figures reflect a higher number of angry drivers in Bexar County or whether local police are more apt to flag some accidents as "road rage" compared to officers in other jurisdictions.

Harris County law enforcement authorities say they regularly receive 911 calls about road rage, sometimes three or more a day.

"We had 40 calls so far in July," said Thomas Gilliland, the spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's office. "A main thing we respond to is aggressive driving. Vehicles cut each other off or even chasing on roadways."

Cases problematic

Sometimes angry motorists simply pull over and start fighting or shooting.

In March 2011, two angry Houston drivers pulled over into a Korner Food Mart parking lot in southwest Houston. The argument that ensued started after one woman had cut in front of another. As it escalated, the younger of the two women pulled a gun and shot the other.

Carol Grant, 49, a home health care worker, died at the scene. The 31-year-old shooter claimed self-defense and has not yet been charged.

In road-rage cases, charges against drivers vary. There's no specific criminal charge for road rage in Texas. And many drivers go unpunished because of the difficulty of proving their emotional state.

Out of 230 accidents in Texas that involved injuries last year, police didn't pursue criminal charges in 60 percent, according to the newspaper's review.

Innocent victim

On a fall day last year in Bexar County, Randy Nelson was driving his 2-year-old son, Braylon, home from day care when he suddenly heard screeching tires and saw a white vehicle careening toward them.

Nelson's foot went to the brake pedal. Then came the jarring smack of the collision that stopped his Saturn SL2 cold.

Nelson hadn't seen the two dueling motorists heading his way in the oncoming lanes.

A pickup driven by Robert Jay Brown, 47, was chasing and tailgating another truck driven by Armando Garza, 40, according to a police report. Both were speeding.

Nelson and his son survived, but the boy is paralyzed from the neck down.

"To me, it doesn't make sense," Nelson said. "Some people just don't get it."

____________________
source: Houston Chronicle (Wang & Tedesco, 7/20)

Share the Road

Be aware, pay attention.

Local municipalities, such as Pinehurst and the City of Orange, recently have issued proclamations declaring May Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.

The Texas Department of Transportation launched the “Share the Road” campaign which aims to reduce Texas motorcycle accidents.

While auto accident fatalities have decreased in recent years, more people are dying on motorcycles than ever before. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says a person riding a motorcycle has a five times greater chance of being injured in a crash and a 25 times greater chance of dying in a collision.

In Texas, 429 motorcyclists were killed in 2010. This represents 14% of the state’s fatalities cause by motor vehicles. Approximately one-third of those fatality accidents happened at an intersection. Of those motorcycle fatalities, 85 were between the ages of 13 - 26.

In 2011, 470 motorcyclists were killed on Texas roads, representing 16% of all motor vehicle deaths for that same year and 5,770 motorcyclists were seriously injured.

The number of motorcycles registered within the state has more than doubled in the last decade as well as the number of motorcyclist killed.

The Texas Department of Transportation recommends:

• Look twice at intersections: Watch out for cyclists at intersections and check mirrors regularly and clearly signal your intentions.

• Give motorcycle space: Don’t follow a motorcycle too closely. Allow a full lane of travel space between your vehicle and a motorcycle.

• Anticipate next steps: Obstructions that drivers do not notice could prove to be fatal for a motorcyclist.

__________________
source: The Orange Leader (Burleigh, 5/3)

Statewide "No Refusal Weekend" in Effect for July 4th Holiday

The July 4 holiday weekend is notoriously one of the most dangerous time of year for Texas drives. So today law enforcement agencies across the state announced a new initiative to keep drivers safe. It's the first ever of its kind in the nation, a state-wide "No Refusal Weekend."

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association shows that over the past 25 years about half of the crashes over the holiday involve alcohol.

Texas is the deadliest state in the nation when it comes to DWI fatalities. Texas statutes designed to decrease the carnage on our roads have been effective to a degree, but many measures seem to have limited success in further curbing the number of deaths.

Last year in Texas alone, officers responded to 337,000 crashes over a three-day time span. This year, the state is stepping up enforcement. Agencies are dispatching additional officers to the road searching for suspected drunk drivers. In participating counties, they will not take "no" for an answer.

TxDOT has posted this video to their YouTube channel explaining what happens if you decide to get behind the wheel after you've been drinking during a "no refusal" weekend.

The "no refusal" program is the plan created by Montgomery County prosecutor Warren Diepraam several years ago. Diepraam says it's getting results.

Anyone who is pulled over for suspected drunk driving will have to either submit to a breath test or have their blood drawn. Officials say it takes as little as 15 minutes to secure a warrant for a blood draw and five minutes after that to get the blood drawn.

If you do happened to be involved in an automotive accident, chances are you can benefit from the services of Texas Injury Lawyer.

Let our experience, commitment and fight work to get you the money you deserve to rebuild your life. Our commitment to you: We will not be out worked!

Contact us today for a free consultation.