It’s summertime and motorcyclists are out on the road enjoying themselves.  They ride alone, in groups, with and without passengers.  Across the country, they ride on highways and parkways but mostly they enjoy the twisting and turning back roads in the mountains and off the beaten path.  Many of the riders will need to stop for a meal or refreshments on their breaks along their way.  Some of these riders will make the fateful choice of consuming alcohol on their stop.

Drinking alcohol reduces reaction time.  A motorcyclist needs to react immediately to hazards in the road and other vehicles.  The results could be catastrophic if an animal runs in front of them, a car veers into their lane, or road conditions change suddenly.  Hazards that an automobile operator take for granted, such as potholes, can be deadly for a motorcyclist.

Motorcycles don’t provide a shell of protection like a car does.  There are no seatbelts.  There is no protection for a motorcycle rider in the event of loss of control.  If the motorcycle crashes, so does the driver.

Motorcyclists must be alert at all times to keep aware of the dangers lurking around them.  They must maintain 360-degree awareness of their surroundings.  They can’t afford to be distracted or impaired as they take to the road.

Alcohol impairs the drinker’s judgement.  Decision making can be faulty and slowed, leading the motorcyclist to take risks they would not ordinarily make.

The national legal limit for alcohol and driving is 0.08% but even that can be too much for a motorcyclist.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Traffic Administration(NHTSA) there are more impaired motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes than drivers of cars.  The evidence is clear.  Motorcycles and alcohol don’t mix.

Stay safe while riding your motorcycle and if you are involved in an incident involving motorcycling and drinking alcohol contact our firm for assistance immediately so that we can provide you the best representation possible.