Motorcycle enthusiasts have long said they love the freedom they feel when they’re out on the open road, wind in their hair (or helmet, it they’re smart), and that there’s nothing quite else that compares. That freedom comes laden with peril, however. The latest motorcycle accident statistics show that riders are almost six times more likely to be killed in a crash than someone in a car. Having a competent Portland motorcycle attorney may be well and good, but winning a case isn’t much good if you’re not around to spend the compensation.
In Portland, motorcyclists are showing a much better safety record than elsewhere in the country, and the trend is improving all the time. Oregon motorcycle crash rates leading to fatalities dropped again in 2010, by a minimum of 2 percent, but the ODOT says there’s still more to do. The fact is, 38 motorcyclists lost their lives on Oregon roads in 2010. This figure is lower than previous years, thanks mostly to cooperation between the Governor’s Highway Safety Association and motorcycle clubs, which are strenuously advocating safe and sober riding.
In 2009, the Oregon legislature passed a number of new motorcycle related safety laws, including increased penalties for riding a motorcycle without a proper license endorsement, and regulations requiring new motorcyclists to take an ODOT-approved training course. As of January, 2011, all new Oregon motorcyclists aged 30 and under must complete a basic or intermediate rider training course.
