Police warned on Aug. 21 that the province is on track to record the highest number of motorcycle fatalities in several years. They are urging motorists to be more cautious on roads. Authorities are reminding everyone who is on a motorcycle to wear highly visible clothing and to stay positioned in lanes properly so that other motorists are more likely to see them. At the same time, police remind other drivers to watch out for motorcycles, particularly before making a lane change.
According to figures from OPP, 25 motorcycle drivers and one passenger have died in accidents this year as of Aug. 18. This is the same number of deaths as all of 2012 and only three away from 2013 figures. In the 2013 fall season alone, there were nine fatal motorcycle accidents. If this happens again, 2014 will have the highest number of motorcycle deaths in seven years.
It is hard to determine exactly why there has been a surge in motorcycle accidents, one officer said, but complacency may be a factor. He noted that the motorcyclists in 50 of the previous 175 deadly crashes were driving properly, suggesting that other drivers are contributing to the accidents.
When the negligence of other motorists causes fatal traffic accidents, the surviving relatives of the victims could be entitled to benefits that help them recover the damages, including funeral and burial expenses. Surviving relatives could also receive compensation that pays for the loss of household income and for the expense of counselling for the survivors if they need help dealing with the deaths. Other financial support might be available to pay for the household services that the victims would have provided if they had survived.
Source: Orangeville Banner, “Motorcycle deaths in Ontario could reach 7-year high, OPP urge caution“, August 22, 2014
