Philadelphia Injury Lawyer Blog

There has been much discussion throughout the state of Pennsylvania recently about bike lanes on main roads. With gas prices going up, more and more men and women in the state of Pennsylvania are turning to bicycling as a primary source of transportation to work and bicycling makes sense with the initiative many are now taking to “go green.” Biking recreationally is also hugely popular among many in the state as well, especially in the Philadelphia area. With all of these factors coming into play, it is only natural that new bike lanes are being installed in towns and cities throughout the state. While many residents are ecstatic, some citizens and authorities are expressing concern.

Just a few months ago bike lanes were installed on busy King’s Street in the town of York Pennsylvania. The town even celebrated “Bike to Work Week” in honor of the new bike lanes, making headlines across the state. Even though these bike lanes have made for exciting news, several York residents say that they will not be using the bike lanes even if they are conveniently located along a short path to work.
They are afraid of the dangers of driving bikes on busy roads. Many are concerned about injury. One driver said he has witnessed drivers of cars driving right into the bike lanes carelessly.

Now the city of Philadelphia is abuzz about bike lanes. City councilman Bill Greenlee wants any future lanes to require council approval. To do so, Greelee wants to create an ordinance in Philadelphia to put the council in charge of bike lanes to be consistent with policies in place for regular motor vehicles.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater disagrees with Greenlee. Director Alex Doty says “No city council approval is needed for new vehicular travel lanes, crosswalks, or bus stops.” He fears this will “put red tape” in front of the streets department traffic engineers and make it hard to put bike lanes in place.

No matter what your stance on bike lanes, remember to always bike and drive safely. Several bikers are injured each year. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident contact a Philadelphia accident lawyer or Philadelphia injury lawyer immediately.

As a Personal Injury Law Firm in Philadelphia, the Pearce Law Firm has handled numerous motorcycle accidents in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania. A Pennsylvania motorcyclist was killed this week when he swerved to avoid another motorcycle accident on Route 181 in Sparta. Sixty-year-old Charles Whipple of Canadensis was riding with other bikers when the motorcyclist in front of him lost control, skidded across the roadway and crashed into the curb. While maneuvering to avoid his fallen comrade, the brakes on Whipple's motorcycle locked, sending him crashing into a stopped car. Whipple was pronounced dead after arrival at the hospital. The driver of the car and her passenger were unhurt. Police cited the motorcyclist who caused the initial accident with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to keep right and failure to wear a safety helmet.

When Pennsylvania repealed its motorcycle helmet law in 2003, motorcycle deaths rose in the Philadelphia area and across the state. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fatal head injuries incurred by helmetless motorcycle riders increased 66%; and serious head injuries requiring hospitalization, by 78%. Head injuries account for the majority of all motorcycle accident injuries and fatalities nationwide. Injuries to other parts of the body account for just 28% of motorcycle accident hospitalizations and 25% of motorcycle deaths.

Another factor driving up motorcycle injuries and fatalities is the growing number of motorcycle riders over the age of 40. Spurred by retiring Baby Boomers, motorcycle registrations have increased by more than 100% over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, older bodies don't bounce back as quickly as younger ones. People over 40 who are in a motorcycle accident suffer more serious injuries, require lengthier hospital stays and longer recovery times, and are more likely to die, even from less serious injuries, than their younger counterparts. When an accident results in death due to someone else's negligence, a wrongful death action can be brought by the survivors and beneficiaries.

If you suffer serious personal injuries in a motorcycle accident, consult an experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorney for a free case evaluation.