Fatal motorcycle accidents involving alcohol have risen in D.C. and more than half the states in the nation, including Maryland.
Statewide in Maryland, 25 alcohol-related motorcycle fatalities occurred in 2007, up from 23 in 2006, for an increase of 8.7 percent, slightly higher than the national increase of 7.5 percent, according to recently released statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Maryland was one of 27 states, in addition to D.C. and Puerto Rico, to see more alcohol-related fatalities in 2007. Although the numbers for alcohol-related motorcycle fatalities have increased, all fatal vehicle crashes in which a driver had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher fell 3.7 percent from 13,491 accidents in 2006 to 12,998 accidents in 2007, according to the latest figures by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“While statistics show that the [motorcycle] fatalities are up, you need to take into context that the numbers are very small,” said Dr. Richard Alcorta, state emergency medical services director with the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, which oversees and coordinates all statewide EMS systems. “And in Maryland, we also have had an increase in the number of licensed riders.”
Multiple safety measures in the state, such as the mandatory helmet law and a statewide trauma system that offers a specialization in head and spinal injury treatment, have helped to dramatically cut deaths through the years, Alcorta said. Checkpoints and saturation patrols are used by the police to help catch impaired riders.
Nongovernment organizations have also taken part in trying to limit the number of alcohol-related motorcycle fatalities.
The Impaired Driving Division at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently started an ad campaign, including television spots, that illustrates the dangers of motorcyclists drinking and riding.
“Almost every day when I’m commuting to work and listening to the radio, I hear about a motorcycle that went down,” said Philip Sause, coordinator of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s Motorcycle Safety Program. “The key to being safe all comes down to one thing: being responsible. How you ride your motorcycle reflects on the motorcycle community as a whole. Our reputation rides with you.”
