The death of a Suffolk, Virginia (VA) woman on a dirt bike over the weekend has, once again highlighted the inherent dangers of dirt bikes and ATVs.
The woman was killed near Nansemond Parkway, Suffolk, Virginia (VA), the Daily Press reported.
The victim – a woman in her mid-30s who was riding with another person – was killed when the bike flipped, according to police reports.
According to police, the bike overturned when the driver lost control and struck a log.
Dirt bike accidents are on the rise in many places. Last year we reported a spike in dirt bike accidents in North Carolina (NC). On average, over 800 bike riders are seriously injured and 23 are killed in bicycle-car accidents in North Carolina (NC). Even more shocking is the fact that bike accidents are on the rise with 1,046 bike-car crashes reported in 2007, according to pedbikeinfo.org.
Why do ATVs and dirt bikes often lead to traumatic brain injuries? Often those riding off-road do not wear protective gear such as helmets. Helmets can significantly reduce the severity of a head injury, even if they cannot prevent head injuries altogether.
Subsequent reports revealed the Suffolk victim, Jennifer Jackson of Virginia Beach, Virginia (VA), was wearing a helmet but exessive speed appears to have been a factor.
The property the crash occured on was also owned by the city and marked with “No Trespassing” signs.
With the popularity of multiple types of ATV’s, often operated by teenagers and minors, come increasingly large number of personal injuries, and accidental or wrongful deaths.
As Virginia and Carolina personal injury lawyers handling vehicle accidents on a regular basis, we know that there are more safety measures that the manufacturers such as Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, and others can take to prevent these rollover accidents. First of all, any three wheel ATV is a dangerous ATV, due to the ease with which such vehicles topple over.
Besides state laws restricting the age at which an ATV can be operated, much of the safety must come from the manufacturers.
See this dirt bike safety video.
DM