Posts Tagged ‘ Motorcycles ’

No Paycheck. No Motorcycle. No Accident. Coincidence?

April 28th, 2010. By AbiK

Apparently not if you go by the latest report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) on motorcycle accident deaths. The report indicates that motorcycle fatalities for 2009 were down by at least ten percent vs. 2008. And that follows eleven straight years of increases in motorcycle accident deaths.

While, according to the GHSA, the findings are based on preliminary data for full-year 2009, most states reporting motorcycle fatalities for the year have at least nine months of fatality counts submitted to the agency. The GHSA states it is confident, therefore, in being able to make its full-year projection.

What’s interesting is that the GHSA asked its members to suggest reasons for the decline. According to the GHSA release, there were a range of possible reasons submitted: less motorcycle travel due to the economy; increased state attention to motorcycle safety programs; and poor cycling weather conditions in some areas.

GHSA Chairman Vernon Betkey states, “Clearly the economy played a large role in motorcycle deaths declining in 2009. Less disposable income translates to fewer leisure riders, and we suspect that the trend of inexperienced baby boomers buying bikes may have subsided.” (Can’t help having an image of clean-cut Jay Leno in jeans and leather jacket when I hear that last part—though Leno is, indeed, experienced).

To be fair, Betkey also notes that because there had previously been sharp increases in motorcycle accident deaths during the 1997-2008 period, many states ramped up their efforts to improve motorcycle highway safety. Additionally, Betkey cautions that the data only represents one year of data and to really consider this decrease in fatalities a positive trend, there really should be at least three to five years of data.

Still, if there has to be something positive related in part to the economic downturn, we’ll take fewer motorcycle accident deaths.

Tags: GHSA, Motorcycle Accidents, Motorcycles
Posted in Accidents, Emerging Issues | No Comments »

Coakley Loses, but Wins Big for MA Motorcycle Owners

January 21st, 2010. By AbiK

Git your motor runnin’…The Democratic loss in Massachusetts was (is still) all over the news—but one bit of news about MA Attorney General Martha Coakley was not so prevalent: her settlement to the tune of $11.1 million with motorcycle insurers who overcharged riders.

It seems that a few motorcycle insurers—Safety Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, and Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Company—were allegedly basing their premiums for motorcycle insurance on incorrect motorcycle values.

Now, if you’ve ever had your heart set on a Harley, and had to wait to save up the money for that Fat Boy or Low Rider (personally, I’d be going for a Sportster 883 or 1200), the last thing you want to do is cough up even more money on a high insurance premium. But you’re typically at the mercy of the insurance company—you need insurance to ride, and motorcycle accidents do happen.

Upon an investigation that, according to insurancenewsnet.com, began over a year ago, it came to light that the insurance companies were basing their collision and comprehensive premiums not on the current book values of the bikes being insured, but on values that were out-of-date and inflated.

An example given was for a 1999 Harley Davidson Road King Classic (which nowadays will set you back about Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Insurance, Liberty Mutual, Massachusetts, Motorcycles, Quincy Mutual, Safety Insurance
Posted in Settlement | 3 Comments »