May: Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and Aftermath Campaign in Colorado

 Posted on May 21, 2021 in Car Accident

Each year, the month of May is designated as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month in Colorado and throughout the country. Traditionally, May has been the month chosen for this safety campaign since May is the beginning of warm weather and riding season in many states. In keeping with this theme, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has also chosen May to launch its new Aftermath campaign to help spread how important it is for motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Wearing a helmet can save a rider’s life in the event of a motorcycle crash.

Deadliest Year

According to statistics from the CDOT, 2020 was the deadliest year on record for motorcyclists. There were 137 riders killed in motorcycle accidents last year, a 33 percent increase over the previous year’s fatalities. The ratio of the number of motorcycles in the state and the number of fatalities demonstrates just how dangerous riding can be. While motorcycles made up only 3 percent of the total number of registered vehicles in Colorado, motorcycle crashes made up 22 percent of all traffic deaths last year.

Motorcycle Helmets

Colorado law does not require any motorcycle operator or passenger who is 18 years or older to wear a helmet, despite the proven fact that helmets protect a rider from catastrophic injury and death. In fact, out of all the protective gear a rider can wear, their helmet is the most important piece of gear in determining whether they survive a crash or die.

Data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that more than half of all riders killed in 2019 in the United States were not wearing helmets. In Colorado, the NHTSA found that the majority of the 334 riders killed during 2015 to 2017 failed to wear a helmet.

The CDOT will use the Aftermath campaign to show the public just what can happen to motorcyclists when they do not wear a helmet and are involved in a motorcycle accident. The agency will be placing images of these devastating consequences on billboards and social media throughout the state.

Call a Fort Collins County Personal Injury Attorney for Legal Assistance

The aftermath of a motorcycle accident can be overwhelming for both victims and their families. Too often, the injuries suffered by victims are so severe, they do not survive. For those who do survive these catastrophic injuries, their lives are forever changed, and they are left dealing with permanent disabilities, disfigurement, scarring, and more.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle crash, a dedicated Larimer County motorcycle accident attorney can get you the financial compensation you may be entitled to for the losses you have suffered. Call Hoggatt Law Office, P.C. today at 970-225-2190 to schedule a free consultation and find out what legal recourse you may have.

Sources:

https://www.codot.gov/news/2021/april-2021/new-motorcycle-campaign

https://www.codot.gov/safety/motorcycle/motorcycle-laws.html