Fatal motorcycle accidents involving alcohol have risen in more than half the states, including Maryland.
Statewide, 25 alcohol-impaired motorcycle fatalities occurred in 2007, up from 23 in 2006, 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 Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, to see more alcohol-related fatalities in 2007.
“While statistics show that the 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.”
Safety on the road
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, but he said state officials and law enforcement must do more to minimize these fatalities.
“One of the most important things we stress is helmet safety,” said Battalion Chief Matthew Tobia, with the Anne Arundel fire department.
“We share with the police a concern with fatalities involving alcohol among motorcyclists.”
Anne Arundel police spokesman Sgt. John Gilmer said, “Being impaired is serious enough, but a contributing factor, like high speeds, which we see a lot from motorcycles, is going to increase the likelihood of an accident.”
Police also urge other motorists to be especially careful around motorcycles by increasing following distances and checking mirrors more frequently, he said.
Statewide, various initiatives are used to curb drinking and driving among motorcyclists.
Checkpoints and saturation patrols
The state police, often in cooperation with local police departments, uses drunken-driving checkpoints and saturation patrols to locate impaired drivers of any vehicles.
“Our initiatives are geared toward all vehicles, including motorcyclists,” said Sgt. Arthur Betts, spokesman for the state police.
“Starting with May, when the weather gets warmer, we start to see the number of motorcycle fatalities go up.”
Checkpoints are stationary, predetermined locations, while saturation patrols involve an increased police presence in particular areas known to have a higher concentration of intoxicated drivers.
“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.”
Advocacy efforts
The Impaired Driving Division at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently started an ad campaign, including television spots, that shows the dangers of motorcyclists drinking and riding.
The television ad features a motorcyclists being pulled over with beer visibly up to his nose within his helmet.
“It’s been affective in increasing the visibly of the crackdown,” said Misty Moyse, national spokeswoman for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
“The Department of Transportation is very well aware that it’s important to cut down motorcycle fatalities.”
In other advocacy efforts, A Brotherhood Against Totalitarian Enactments of Maryland, the largest association of motorcycle riders in Maryland, said its efforts in working with the 2008 Maryland legislature led to new laws benefiting motorcyclists.
One law, which went into effect July 1, increased the monetary penalty for vehicle operators responsible for an accident when someone dies or is seriously injured. Fines increased from $70 to a possible $1,000 with up to 180 days with a loss of license.
Another law, which went into effect in June, made it legal to use auxiliary lighting on motorcycles, which makes them more visible.
Drunken-driving fatalities see decline
Although the numbers for alcohol-impaired motorcycle fatalities have increased, all fatal vehicle crashes where 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
Two states had double-digit drops in alcohol-related fatalities. Arizona had the biggest drop, based on number and not percentage, of accidents from 51 to 36, followed by New York, which fell from 62 to 51.
