Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Notes: Road to Zero Fights to End Traffic Fatalities

BOISE and NAMPA, Idaho. Traffic fatalities cost Americans billions each year. Traffic injuries also disrupt lives, change lives, and cost millions. No one should die on the road. This is why the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, and the National Safety Council have launched the Road to Zero campaign. The goal is to put an end to deaths on U.S. roads by 2030.

The Road to Zero campaign will work to raise awareness about the importance of seat belt use, the dangers of distracted driving, increasing truck safety, and putting in rumble strips on roads. Part of the mission is to use engineering technology to increase driver’s safety. Yet, the Road to Zero campaign may be neglecting some important road users, according to Cycle World. The campaign does not address motorcycle safety, thus neglecting millions of vulnerable road users. While the Road to Zero campaign mentions the importance of protecting bicyclists, pedestrians, and joggers, the campaign seems to have left out an important group of individuals who use U.S. roads. It isn’t entirely clear why the initiative neglected to mention motorcyclists.

Motorcyclists are particularly at risk of traffic injuries and fatalities because they don’t have the protective chassis of a vehicle. When accidents occur, there is little to come between them and the road. Riders are also more vulnerable when it comes to distracted drivers, who may be less likely to see riders stopped at lights and stop signs than passenger vehicles. When these accidents occur, victims can suffer serious injuries and even death. The motorcycle lawyers at the Law Office of Johnson & Lundgreen see many motorcycle accidents, and understand the serious damage they can do. Measures need to be taken to protect riders. Until then, riders can still use Idaho’s personal injury laws to collect damages when they’ve been hurt on the road.

Some riders claim that the road to zero plan excludes motorcyclists intentionally. As technology improves, more autonomous vehicles will likely be used on the road. Motorcycles are not likely to ever be autonomous and will likely always involve some aspect of human-centered decision making. Some riders claim that as autonomous vehicles become more popular and accepted, motorcycles may be banned in an effort to make roads safer. While this is not likely, riders are closely watching to see what the U.S. Department of Transportation will do next.

Motorcycle riders have the same right to use the roads as other drivers. Drivers also have a responsibility to use caution when driving around riders. When drivers make mistakes or are negligent, the results can be tragic. Individuals and families may face exorbitant medical expenses, pain and suffering, and families may struggle if a loved one has to miss time from work. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, protect yourself. Visit https://johnsonandlundgreen.com/ to learn more.