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Feds may require new motorcycle safety technology

On Behalf of | Sep 14, 2018 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Riding motorcycles continues to be the epitome of risky behavior that can lead to severe injury or death. Now the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) voted 5-0 to recommend that motorcycle manufacturers institute some updated technology to improve the safety of motorcycles built for road.

The federal group recommends including anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control as standard equipment. The next step would be for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to take these recommendations and use its authority to impose new safety regulations.

Additional safety is needed

The NTSB believes that these measures would help reduce injuries and save lives – there were 5,286 motorcycle fatalities on U.S. roads in 2016, which is the most recent year that this data is available. This is a 5.1 percent increase from 2015. Fatalities are 28 times more likely for motorcycles than cars. This technology already used in cars.

There are already regulations in place for passenger cars. Here is why:

  • Anti-lock brakes: Required in domestic passenger cars since 2000, these brakes automatically pump several times per second, allowing vehicles to stop more quickly without locking the brakes.
  • Electronic stability control: Becoming standard with 2012 models, this technology applies brakes and power to wheels so a vehicle can navigate turns and obstacles with more stability.

Safety first

It is believed that this technology would go a long way towards improving those fatality statistics. It is a simple fact that drivers with more time to react to another driver or obstacle will have a better chance of navigating the danger. The NTSB believes these changes would reduce fatalities by 31 percent.

Safety always starts with the driver exercising caution and common sense when operating a motor vehicle of any kind. Injuries can be caused to the motorcyclist by another driver in a car, to a car driver reacting to a motorcyclist, or motorcyclist reacting to an obstacle on the road.

Regardless of the circumstance, it is important to seek medical help immediately for these often severe accidents. The damages from accidents involving motorcycles is often substantial with much at stake, so it is also wise to seek guidance from an attorney if a motorcyclist is the victim or potentially negligent because of reckless behavior.

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