Hundreds of thousands of riders and motorcycle enthusiasts will 
be ascending on Daytona Beach, Florida, the week of March 8 through March 17th for the 72nd Annual Daytona Bike Week. Daytona Bike week is one of the biggest motorcycle events in the biker world.
According to DaytonaBikeWeek.com – The first Daytona Bike Week was January 24, 1937 – the inaugural running of the Daytona 200. The first race took place on the sand just south of The World’s Most Famous Beach on a 3.2 mile road course. Ed Kretz of Monterey Park, CA was its first winner, riding an American made Indian Motorcycle averaging 73 miles an hour. A tradition was established and the rest is history. Now, a 10-day festival, the event has spread from Main Street into other areas around Volusia County.
The week includes motorcycle shows, exhibits, concerts and street festivals. There will also be racing events including the prestigious Daytona 200 championship motorcycle racing event.
Event attendees and Florida motorcyclists face many dangers when they take their bikes out on the roadways whether on I-4, I-95 Florida’s turnpike or A-1-A. It is important for motorcyclists to protect themselves with the proper clothing, motorcycle gear and carry adequate motorcycle insurance.
There are over 4 million motorcycles registered in the United States according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Unfortunately there were more than 4,376 fatalities in 2010. Florida had 7,484 motorcycle accidents with 5961 motorcycle drivers/ passenger who were injured, and 383 who were killed.
U.S. emergency departments regularly treat non-fatal motorcycle-related injury victims for minor bumps, bruises, abrasions, road rash, broken bones, concussions, brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.
The most common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Negligence or carelessness of another driver
- Driver violating another’s right-of-way
- Sudden stops by a driver
- Distracted driving (texting, cell phone use)
- Unsafe road conditions (debris, potholes, loose gravel)
- Defective motorcycle parts or design
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a motorcycle accident and would like to learn more about your legal rights, please contact us here.
Resources:
For safety tips and information on motorcycle safety, please click on the following links.
ABATE of Florida – www.abateflorida.com
American Motorcycle Association – www.americanmotorcyclist.com
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles – www.motorcycles.hsmv.state.fl.us
Motorcycle Riders of Florida – www.livetorideflorida.com
NHTSA – Motorcycle Safety Program – https://www.nhtsa.gov/
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation – https://www.msf-usa.org/
