Georgia Injury Lawyer Blog

Our Atlanta attorneys frequently litigate motorcycle accident cases. Our experience over many years shows that in almost all cases the motorcyclist was not at fault.
Recently, the Atlanta media reported a case in which a young man was fatally injured in the Little Five Points district when the scooter he was driving was hit from behind by a vehicle.

Allstate insurance company has conducted a study of the most dangerous intersections in Atlanta for motorcycle riders.

The data indicates that the intersection of 14th Street and Peachtree Street is the most dangerous intersection for motorcyclists in Fulton County.

Seven of 18 fatal motorcycle crashes -- 39 percent -- in Fulton County in 2009 occurred at that intersection. The Georgia Department of Transportation statistics show that there were 337 motorcycle crashes in Fulton County in 2009.

The other intersections in Fulton and Dekalb that had multiple motorcycle crashes in 2009 were:

-- Barge Road and Campbelltown Roads
-- Camp Creek Parkway and Welcome All Road
-- 10th St. and Piedmont Avenue
-- Bolton Road and Marietta Road
-- Buford Highway and Peachtree Street
-- Delmar Lane and Delmoor Court
-- Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway and Eugenia Avenue

In an effort to encourage safety for motorcycle and car drivers, Allstate is installing yellow diamond-shaped caution signs with the word "LOOK" and a silhouette of a motorcycle.

Other interesting facts revealed in the Allstate study are:

-- Most of the motorcycle crashes occurred in August.
-- Most occurred on a Saturday.
-- Most occurred between 5 and 7 p.m.

We read in the paper this week about a tragedy involving a motorcyclist who was struck and killed by a drunk driver. According to news accounts, the drunk driver was completely at fault in the incident and struck the innocent motorcycle rider from the rear. Regrettably, this case is indicative of the dangers to which all motorcycle riders are exposed. Such dangers are exponentially increased, obviously, when a drunk driver is involved.
We read in the paper this week about a tragedy involving a motorcyclist who was struck and killed by a drunk driver. According to news accounts, the drunk driver was completely at fault in the incident and struck the innocent motorcycle rider from the rear. Regrettably, this case is indicative of the dangers to which all motorcycle riders are exposed. Such dangers are exponentially increased, obviously, when a drunk driver is involved and as it appears in this case, the victim was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time occupying the same space and traveling down the same road as the drunk driver. The tragic results obviously were caused by the drunk driver’s negligence. Hopefully, the driver will be fully prosecuted and sent to jail. While jail time will be little solace to the victim’s family, nonetheless, it is necessary that there be a vigorous prosecution in all such cases in order to deter such actions by others.
The tragic results here obviously were caused by the drunk driver’s negligence. Hopefully, the driver will be fully prosecuted and sent to jail. While jail time will be little solace to the victim’s family, nonetheless, it is necessary that there be a vigorous prosecution in all such cases in order to deter such actions by others.

Over the years our firm has handled many cases involving serious motorcycle accident cases. Because so little protection is afforded to the motorcycle rider, in any case involving a collision between a motorcycle and an automobile, typically the motorcycle rider is seriously injured and/or killed. In the case that happened this week here in Atlanta, the motorcycle rider was killed by the drunk driver. We do not know if the drunk driver has sufficient assets to pay the damages caused by the loss of life of the victim/rider but hopefully there will be sufficient insurance proceeds available to compensate the family for its loss

The article in today’s paper indicated that the accused, a man by the name of Darrin Murphy, had a prior DUI offense on his record. The victim had just graduated with a degree in Public Policy from Georgia Tech and had only been an American citizen for just three months. He was born in London and obviously was a bright young man with an extremely bright future ahead of him. It is regrettable that Mr. Murphy chose to drink and drive and it is clear that he is facing a long jail sentence having been charged with first degree homicide, following too closely and driving under the influence. Because he is a repeat offender, he is likely to get very little sympathy from the Court.

We offer our condolences to the family of Liam Rattray, the innocent victim in this case. Regrettably, according to news accounts, Mr. Rattray is not the only motorcycle rider killed this week in metropolitan Atlanta. According to news accounts out of Upson County, a father was killed and his son seriously injured when they were struck head on by a drunk driver in a pickup truck.

A note of caution to our motorcycle rider friends. Wear your helmets and be careful this summer. Its dangerous out there.

Georgia injury lawyers know that motorcycle accidents often result in serious injuries and even death for the biker. Today WSBTV reported that a motorcyclist was severely injured as a result of a hit-and-run crash in Henry County. Justin Haynes, age 34, was struck at Fairview and East Atlanta Rd in Ellenwood by a female driving a black Toyota Highlander. According to police, the women stopped but then drove off.

Hit-and-run accidents are becoming more common in Atlanta. There is a 24 year old woman on trial this week who is accused of causing a collision which took the lives of several innocent people. In that case, the woman left the scene and was then assisted by her mother in attempting to cover it up.

Georgia law provides that if someone negligently injures or kills someone and there are aggravating circumstances involved, such as being intoxicated of leaving the scene and failing to render aid, the offending party may be liable for punitive damages.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Accident In Henry County Involves Hit-And-Run Driver" »

Georgia injury lawyers often see car accidents and truck accidents caused by tire failure. A tire failure can also be the precipitating event in a vehicle rollover case. The causes of these tire failures vary but include manufacturing defects, road hazards and failure to keep the tire properly inflated.

In any motor vehicle crash where a tire failure is suspected, it is crucial to preserve the vehicle and especially the tires and rims so that they can be inspected by experts. Georgia injury lawyers know experts who can timely inspect and evaluate the evidence and who can testify at trial, if necessary.

Tire and Wheel defects include each of the following:

• Tire Tread Separations
A tread separation refers to the separation of the tread from the carcass of the tire. This separation usually occurs between the two steel belts and is one of the most common modes of tire failure.

• Tire Sidewall Failures
A sidewall failure, also known as a blowout, often involves a hole in the sidewall. These generally occur while a tire is being used on a vehicle when the tire is underinflated. Sidewalls may also undergo a “zipper failure in which the sidewall bursts or explodes during the inflation process. The rupture pattern usually resembles an open zipper. In a zipper failure, there are no visual signs or indicators that the tire may fail during normal servicing.

• Tire Bead Failures
A bead failure involves the breakage of the bead, the part of the tire that contacts the wheel rim. This type of failure occurs during the mounting of a tire on a rim when the bead becomes hung up on the rim, creating huge stress on the entire bead. When the bead fractures, a low pressure explosion occurs, turning the tire and rim into high velocity projectiles which almost always result in serious injury or death. Tire bead failures are most frequent in the spacesaver” spares.

• Aged Tires
Tires do not have an infinite shelf life. Tires may fail due to ozone cracking, even where there is significant useable tread left on the tire. Ozone cracking appears as small cracks or fissures on the surface of the tire rubber. Aging tires increase the likelihood of a tire tread separation or tire sidewall failure.

Continue reading "Tire Failures Are The Cause Of Many Of Georgia's Automobile and Truck Accidents" »

Motorcycle riders are especially vulnerable to serious injury or death when involved in an accident with a careless driver. While many drivers fault the motorcyclist, we at the Finch McCranie firm know that most motorcycle operators are responsible, cautious individuals. Defective tires, or design problems with the motorcycle itself, can also cause a motorcyclist to crash. In such cases, the victims may have a viable products liabilty case against the manufacturer of the product.

Just last week a Georgia couple was injured in Tennessee when the rear tire of their motorcycle blew. Stephanie Rasmussen of Hoschton, Georgia, a passenger on the motorcycle was flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center and her husband, Kevin Rasmussen, was transported to Harton Regional Medical Center.

Whether the rear tire of the motorcycle was defective is unknown; however, given the injuries, an inspection of the tire by an expert may be warranted. In our experience, a qualified tire expert can determine the cause of the tire failure. For this reason, in all cases of suspected tire failure, the tire and rim assebly should be preserved.

Continue reading "Georgia Couple Injured In Motorcycle Accident When Rear Tire Blew" »

Inattentive drivers are responsible for many Georgia motorcycle accidents every year. Sadly the negligence of these inattentive drivers often results in the serious injury or wrongful death of the motorcyclist. Such may have been the case yesterday in Macon, Georgia when a woman driving a 1999 Chevrolet Impala ran a stop sign at the intersection of Peeble Street and Second Avenue and struck a motorcycle. According to witnesses, the woman struck 59-year old James Collins of Danville and then left the scene of the accident. The victim was pronounced dead shortly after the crash.

Hopefully authorities will be able to apprehend the driver and prosecute her for her callous, criminal conduct and hopefully for the family of the victim, there will be insurance coverage to compensate them for their loss.

Continue reading "Hit-and-Run Crash Results In Death Of Georgia Motorcyclist" »

Not a week goes by that we do not see a significant number of road debris items laying in the middle of Georgia highways. Whether it is an old mattress, furniture, tools, chain, truck tie-down straps or whatever, these items on the highway often result serious injury or death to innocent motorists who encounter and try to avoid them.

In October of 2008, a woman, trying to avoid road debris, died instantly in a single car crash. The accident happened at about 7:30 a.m. in the westbound lane of Interstate 285 in north Atlanta, Georgia. The victim tried to avoid a truck bed liner in the highway when she hit a median wall.

In July of 2010, a Canadian woman died when a brake drum broke free from a large commercial truck was struck by the wheel of a tractor trailer and thrown into the air and through the woman’s windshield, striking her in the head.

Motorists are responsible for securing whatever cargo they are transporting on or with a vehicle. A motorist’s failure to do so will result in their being held liable for all damages that result from an automobile accident, motorcycle accident or any other motor vehicle accident caused by the debris being in the roadway. Although sometimes it is difficult to identify the owner of the debris or the person responsible for it being on the roadway, it may not be impossible. Most of the time, law enforcement officials will use all of the resources available to them to determine the responsible party.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured as a result of being involved in a motor vehicle accident which was caused by someone’s negligent failure to secure a load, call the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP. We have been representing the injury victims for over 40 years.

Traffic fatalities in Georgia and across the United States have shown a significant decline between 2008 and 2009, according to a report released on Thursday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Georgia’s number of traffic fatalities in the period fell by 14 percent for a total of 1,495 in 2009. Florida led the nation with 422 fewer traffic fatalities in 2009, followed by Texas (405 fewer), California (353), Pennsylvania (212) and Georgia (211 fewer).

Increased seatbelt use and campaigns against drunk driving are being credited with the drop.

Nationwide, the number of deaths on America’s roads fell to 33,808 in 2009, the lowest number since 1950. The reduction comes even as the number of miles people are driving rose 0.2 percent over 2008 levels.

Fatalities fell in all categories of including motorcycles, which dropped by 850 from 2008, breaking an 11-year cycle of annual increases.

There also were fewer people injured in vehicle crashes last year, down 5.5 percent from 2008. According to the report, alcohol impaired driving fatalities declined by 7.4 percent in 2009 to 10,839 from 11,711 reported in 2008. Overall, 33 states and Puerto Rico experienced a decline in the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities year over year.

All crashes (fatal, injury and property damage only) were down by 5.3 percent in 2009 from a year ago.

Georgia injury lawyers have seen many serious automobile accidents, tractor-trailer accidents and motorcycle accidents caused by foreign objects and road debris on Georgia highways. Not a week goes by that we do not see a significant amount of road debris laying in the middle of Atlanta highways. Just last week a 19 year old girl was killed in Tifton, Georgia when she collided with a tractor-trailer. Both vehicles were heading south on Interstate 75 when the girl swerved to avoid a piece of rubber in the roadway. After running off the roadway, she apparently over-corrected, came back onto the roadway and struck the tractor-trailer rig.

In October of 2008, a woman, trying to avoid road debris, died instantly in a single car crash. The accident happened at about 7:30 a.m. in the westbound lane of Interstate 285 in north Atlanta, Georgia. The victim tried to avoid a truck bed-liner in the highway when she hit a median wall.

In July of 2010, a Canadian woman died when a brake drum broke free from a large commercial truck was struck by the wheel of a tractor trailer and thrown into the air and through the woman’s windshield, striking her in the head.

On June 30, 2010, a Florida woman was killed after a portion of a portable toilet crashed through her car’s windshield. The two portable toilets fail from the trailer of a pickup truck. When they hit the ground and broke apart, a portion of one of them crashed through the woman’s windshield striking her. As a result, the woman veered off the road and crashed into a tree.

There are ever increasing numbers of these accidents which are claiming the lives of many motorists. Failure to secure a load being transported by car, tractor-trailer or any other vehicle is negligence for which you may be liable in damages. Trying to identify the person or corporation responsible for foreign objects being in the roadway is not always very easy.

Continue reading "Road Debris On Georgia Highways Can Kill" »

Friday evening, a motorcycle accident in north Georgia injured two people. The wreck occurred before 8:00 p.m. on U.S. Hwy 41 in Tunnel Hill, Georgia.. Although details of the wreck have not been released and the accident is still under investigation, the motorcycle and a pickup truck collided. It has been reported that charges are pending against the driver of the truck. The driver of the motorcycle was flown to Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga and the passenger was taken to Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton.

Bikers are some of the most vulnerable travelers on Georgia roads. Traveling without a cage of steel around them, they may feel the freedom, but they’re also at risk for serious injuries or death in the event of a crash.

If you or someone you care about has been seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident that someone else caused, you are entitled to hold the careless person responsible in a court of law. Contact the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP today at 1-800 228-9159

When most people hear about a motorcycle accident they envision a collision with a car or a truck; however, motorcycle accidents also occasionally occur as a result of debris and foreign objects on the roadway.

The Savannah Morning News reported today that on Sunday, a 23 foot trailer came loose from a Ford F-150 truck being operated by 66 year old Gerald Adams. The trailer crossed over the median on Interstate 16 where it collided with 26 year old Carroll Girtman, who was riding his Yamaha motorcycle in the westbound lanes.

Adams has been charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and operating an unsafe vehicle, both misdemeanors.

As a Georgia injury lawyer who often pulls a long, heavy boat trailer, I am always aware of the my responsibility to make sure that the boat is secured to the trailer, that the trailer is properly secured to the truck with safety chains, that the tires are in good shape and that all of the lights are operational. As the Savannah motorcycle case illustrates, when a trailer comes loose from a motor vehicle, it will almost certainly result in the serious injury, if not the wrongful death of an innocent person.

Although no additional details about why or how the trailer came loose were reported, there are alot of questions to be answered. Was the hitch properly secured to the vehicle? Were safety chains being used? If there was an equipment failure, is there a products liabilty case against the manufacturer of the hitch, ball or trailer manufacturer? If properly secured, trailers do not usually come loose from motor vehicles.

Continue reading "Georgia Motorcycle Accident Results In Death" »

The Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP know that most motorcycle riders are good drivers and that many accidents are caused by other careless drivers. Such may have been the case yesterday in South Fulton County. WSBTV and The Associated Press have reported that a motorcycle accident has resulted in the death of a Jonesboro, Georgia man. The victim, Albert Davis, age 32, was riding the motorcycle at 2:20 a.m. on Old National Highway when the collison occurred. To date no one has been charged; however, investigators believe that Davis locked his rear brake before hitting the back of an SUV that had entered the roadway. The Fulton County police are continuing the investigation.

Not a day goes by that the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP don't read about tragic deaths from automobile accidents, tractor trailer accidents and motorcycle accidents. On Wednesday of this week a popular Georgia High School coach, 46 year old Anthony Glen Barge, was riding motorcycles with his brother-in-law near the Lake Wedowee, Alabama. They were reportedly on the way to visit relatives in the area. According to The Anniston Star, Barge was riding his 2001 Kawasaki motorcycle when he turned too wide on a curve and struck a Toyota SUV. Unfortunately, Barge was killed on impact.

Barge leaves behind his wife his wife, Cindy and seven children. Two of his sons attend Carrollton High School where he was had been employed as an assistant football and baseball coach for almost ten years.

Georgia injury lawyers know that sometimes no matter how careful you ride, you can lose your life in a motorcycle accident. On Tuesday of last week a Georgia man was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle on Interstate 95. Jonathan Holifield, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene just south of Bryan-Chatham county line on I-95 north. The accident occurred at 6:38 p.m., according to the Georgia State Patrol. According to an article published by the Effingham Herald, a witness told troopers that two vehicles in the left lane moved into the middle lane, where Holifield was riding, and one of the vehicles struck Holifield’s motorcycle; however, troopers found no evidence of damage to the left side of the motorcycle. Given that there were lane changes from the vehicles, it is believed that Holifield apparently took evasive action to avoid a collision and subsequently lost control of his motorcycle

Anyone who spends time in the mountains of Georgia or North Carolina knows that the summer motorcycle season is here. It is time for many of us to hit the open road once again. Before you do, we suggest you review some important safety tips, that may help keep you safe this season. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 5,100 people died in motorcycle crashes in 2007. This alarming statistic is the highest level since the Department of Transportation began collecting data in 1975.

Many bikers take precautions to avoid accidents, but even when all safety precautions have been made, other driver's make mistakes that cause serious injuries. A Georgia man lost his foot as a result of an inattentive driver who ran a traffic light; a North Carolina man lost his life when a tractor-trailer turned left into his right of way; and a Florida man suffered a traumatic brain injury when the defendant driver ran a red light. The fact is that there is no way to completely eliminate the risk, even for the most skilled bikers but staying alert and ride defensively can help.

Continue reading "The Summer Motorcycle Season Has Begun In Georgia" »

The motorcycle accident lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP have represented many motorcycle riders over the years who have been seriously injured in collisions involving automobiles. A few months ago we settled a case where our client sustained very serious injuries to his leg and foot when his motorcycle was hit broadside in an intersection by a doctor who ran a red light in her SUV. Although the motorcycle was not demolished, the injuries were devastating. As a result of the injuries he sustained, doctors had to amputate several toes and part of his foot. In this case and most others, the motorcycle rider was obeying the law and did nothing to cause or contribute to the collision.

Motorcycles are by their very nature far less crash worthy than closed vehicles and crashes frequently result in catastrophic injuries or death. They are also less visible to other vehicles and pedestrians and less stable than 4-wheel vehicles. Motorcyclists and their passengers are more vulnerable to the hazards of weather and road conditions than drivers in closed vehicles. According to the DOT, 5,154 people died in motorcycle crashes in 2007 and motorcycles are 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in crashes per vehicle mile driven in 2006, and 8 times more likely to be injured according to the DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Because of the seriousness of the injuries sustained in motorcycle accidents and because many of the motorist who cause these accident are under-insured, Georgia lawyers need to be creative when representing riders. It is imperative that the victim’s attorney examine all potential avenues of recovery so that the client can be fully compensated. Other areas to review include failure of the motorcycle’s mechanical systems, failure of other motorcyclists to observe the motorcyclist, failure maintain the roadway and debris on the roadway from trucks, including tire tread separation.

If you or a loved one have been injured in an automobile accident, truck accident or motorcycle accident, consult the Georgia injury lawyers at Finch McCranie, LLP. Our firm has been representing personal injury victims for over 45 years.

Continue reading "Motorcycle Accident Result in Serious Injuries" »

Beginning today, several new Georgia laws intended to reduce automobile accidents, tractor trailer truck accidents and motorcycle accidents go into effect. One of these is the Texting While Driving law. Georgia drivers under the age of 18 will be charged if they talk or text on a cell phone while driving. Under this new law, all drivers, regardless of age will be charged if they write, send or read a text message, email or access the Internet while driving. If found guilty a motorist will be fined $150.00 and will be assessed 1 point on his or her driving record.

Another new Georgia law, the Pickup Truck Safety Belt law, requires both drivers and passengers of pickups to buckle up except for certain farming restrictions. Georgia injury lawyers know that many victims of automobile accidents and trucking accidents would not have sustained serious injuries if they had been wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision. Unfortunately many deaths have resulted from the failure to buckle up. Years ago Georgia passed legislation requiring seat belt use for occupants of automobiles and vans; however, pickup trucks were exempted. For many years, legislation requiring pickup truck seat belt use was defeated by pressure brought to bear from legislators who represented rural constituents.

Continue reading "New Georgia Laws In Effect To Curb Automobile Accidents and Truck Accidents" »

Motorcycles and motor scooters are becoming increasingly popular in Atlanta due to congestion and their gas saving qualities. However, we are increasingly seeing terrible and tragic accidents involving motorcycles and motor scooters. Unfortunately, many of these incidents are caused by distracted drivers who simply do not see the motorcycles or motor scooters.

In today's Atlanta newspaper there is an article concerning a 55-year-old Atlanta resident who was killed while riding a motor scooter. She had stopped on Peachtree Road to make a turn into her residence. A car following her struck the motor scooter from behind resulting in her death.

Just recently, a friend driving a motorcycle avoided serious injury when a car made a left turn in front of his motorcycle on Briarcliff Road in Atlanta. The car turned into his path so quickly that the motorcycle struck the vehicle. The rider was thrown over the car and landed on the road. Somehow, he avoided serious injury.

Recently our firm represented a young lady who was not so fortunate. While riding her motorcycle slowly down a local road, a vehicle pulled from the curb and struck her motorcycle. Tragically, her leg was traumatically amputated by the force of the collision.

These examples drive home the fact that motorcycle and motor scooter riders, while carefully and legally operating their vehicles, are subject to extreme dangers in the city. Hopefully, drivers of cars and trucks will become more aware of the fact that motorcycles and motor scooters are present on the roadways.

In a personal injury lawsuit, it is always difficult for the trial lawyer representing the injured victim to talk about money in the context of pain and suffering. How does one fairly compensate an individual who is suffering as a result of the acts of a third party? Someone who is sitting still at a stop sign and who is rear-ended by a commercial truck, for example, and who sustains a broken neck or back is going to be faced with a lifetime of pain and suffering. How does one fairly compensate such an individual with money? This is a difficult determination which juries must wrestle with and which trial lawyers must address in their presentations on behalf of their innocent clients.

One of the things I think about as a trial lawyer is the ridiculous salaries that are paid to sport figures. There is a recent Georgia Tech graduate, whose name will not be repeated here, who is in the NBA that I read in a news article recently who is making over $50 million per year for a NBA team that did not even make the playoffs. This staggering amount of money, obviously, is way too much money for a basketball player, who has no skills other than being able to shoot a basketball. And yet, if I stand up in front of a jury on behalf of someone with a broken neck or back and I were to ask for $50 million, I would be subject to ridicule and scorn even though my client with a broken neck or back might have to live for as long as 40 to 50 years with incredible pain and suffering. While I agree that 40 to50 million dollars is greatly excessive for such a claim, the disconnect comes when one looks at the value of a single year of basketball for a losing team verses 40-50 years of life in suffering for an innocent victim who did nothing wrong.

The good news is that juries are typically comprised of people from the community with a great deal of common sense. Most juries compromise on issues such as this and reach the best decision they can as to what award of compensation would be fair to provide some financial relief for the innocent victim who is subjected to a lifetime of pain and suffering. Obviously, none of us ever want to be in the position of having to ask a jury to give us fair compensation. This is because none of us want to be subjected to a lifetime of pain and suffering. And yet, in modern society, there are those among us who will be injured, through no fault of our own, and who will have to appear before juries asking that they be treated fairly. The great thing about the American judicial system that is as a rule American juries are fair.

Motorcycle fatalities surpassed over 5,000 in 2008. While preliminary estimates forecast a decline in 2009, there has been a steady increase in motorcycle deaths in recent years compared to a decrease in fatalities for passenger vehicles.

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) discovered that motorcycles equipped with antilock brakes (ABS) are 37 percent less likely to be involved in a fatal crash than models without ABS. As a result of these findings, the IIHS is calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to mandate this ABS technology on all newly manufactured motorcycles.

An additional study by the affiliated Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) found that ABS-equipped motorcycles generated fewer damage claims (22 percent) and lower injury claims (30 percent).

Both studies involved crashes occurring between 2003 and 2008.

Most motorcycles have separate brake controls, one for the front wheel, and one for the rear. If the brakes are hit too hard or with the wrong front/rear distribution, a wheel can lock and cause the loss of control. Alternatively, if the brakes are squeezed too gently, the bike may not stop in time to avoid a crash.

ABS can reduce brake pressure if a lockup is impending or increase pressure again when the bike is under control. It allows the rider to apply the brakes with full force, without holding back due to concerns of locking up a wheel.

In 2009, NHTSA said it would look at the issue but needed more data, No, armed with the IIHS and HLDI studies, the Institute is again calling on the government to mandate ABS on motorcycles.