Lehigh Valley Vehicle Accident Blog

People sometimes get so caught up in thinking about motorcycle safety and crash statistics that they forget why people ride in the first place. What is it about motorcycles that draws us to the open road? Why do we love these vehicles, even though they are often impractical and they do come with safety risks?

Everyone has their own reasons. You likely can list a few of yours. Here are a number of top reasons from industry professionals:

• It's their passion in life. The same way that people love playing team sports, doing science experiments, going rock-climbing, writing books or anything else, people love to ride.
• They love the friendships that it creates. Riding can be a solitary experience, and there is something to be said for the sense of freedom it creates, but it can also be a community experience. Some refer to this as a "brotherhood."
• It's a good way to relieve stress. You see this reason from a lot of athletes and runners, as well. Getting out and doing something you love helps you work through the stress of the daily grind.
• It does have a practical side. A motorcycle generally uses far less gas than a car, it takes up far less space and it gives people a fast, easy way to get around when they don't need to carry more than one passenger. Many people ride for their daily commute all summer long.

People often complain about "speed traps," saying that the police just set them up to make money, not to keep people safe. However, speed limits -- and the enforcement that goes with them -- really do have a main goal of creating safer roads. The police understand that higher speeds put everyone in danger.

First and foremost, the speed that the cars are traveling at during a crash often relates directly to the severity of the injuries suffered by those in the accident. A crash may have been survivable at 55 miles an hour but may turn deadly at 75 mph. More force acts on the bodies of those in the vehicles.

Driving in Pennsylvania can be challenging, especially during winter. If you're the parent of an inexperienced teenage driver, you likely worry every time you hand your son or daughter the car keys and he or she heads out the door. Perhaps, you provide instructions and reminders to keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times, and to stay focused on the task at hand. Whether you're the one driving or your child is, other motorists can place you at risk for injury.

Drunk drivers, especially, are menaces to Pennsylvania roadways. A key to avoiding driving disasters is to learn how to recognize signs that suggest a specific driver might be dealing with intoxication. When a drunk driver is nearby, there may be little to nothing you can do to stay safe. Then again, staying alert and observing your surroundings might be a key factor to avoiding collision.

Do you ever feel like your mind wanders a bit too often? It's a common issue. What we're learning is that it's also very risky, especially for those in the car.

How much do we do it? The answer may surprise you. One study, carried out at Harvard, determined that people daydream roughly 47% of the time. That means half of the time that you're awake, you're thinking about something other than what is happening around you.