Motorcycle Accidents

• Motorcycles, Helmets, Wrecks, Brain Damage and the Freedom to be Stupid

  Steve Lombardi | January 22, 2008 10:00 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  Requiring motorcycle owners to buy medical and disability insurance that will pay for their freedom - currently at the general public's expense - is an excellent idea. And, if they get caught riding without a helmet and the necessary insurance coverage, then take away their right to ride and hit them with a very high fine. Make it painful. Very painful.We need to remember that there is no free...

• Iowa Motorcycle News - National Helmet Law Proposed

  Steve Lombardi | October 12, 2007 12:00 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  If you ride a bike and are not ready to strap on a helmet you better get ready to, if the NTSB has it's way. On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board voted unanimously to recommend that every state create and enforce mandatory helmet laws for motorcycle riders and passengers."Since 1997 to 2007 the fatality rate has doubled and the simple act of donning that helmet will begin that...

• Obama Crash Report Mysteriously Not Yet Filed - Why?

  Steve Lombardi | October 11, 2007 10:52 PM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  What possible reason can the Iowa State Patrol offer for why the report of the Obama campaign vehicle with Mrs. Obama in the vehicle that crashed with the motorcyclist isn't yet filed? Why is it people are blaming the motorcyclist even before there is an official report as to why the driver of the campaign vehicle didn't see the motorcyclist? And why is it taking this long to produce even a...

• Iowa's Young Drivers

  Steve Lombardi | October 11, 2007 12:00 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  The Sheriff of Boone County reported on a motorcycle-dirt bike crash on D Avenue occurring on Saturday, September 8, 2007. 3:31 p.m.: A motorcycle/dirtbike accident occurred near Perry. Robert Johnson, 54, Perry, was southbound on D Avenue and attempted to pass a dirt bike operated by Cole Mayhush, 11, Perry, who at the same time was making an unsignaled lefthand turn. Mayhush was struck by the...

• Motorcycling Safety Tips

  Steve Lombardi | October 02, 2007 10:23 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  In 2006 57 Iowans were killed while riding on a motorcycle. Any tip about how to avoid collisions has to be a good thing. They say 2/3rds of the crashes nationwide are from operator error. I'm not sure how they define operator error. So here is the tip, leave your head light on at all times when riding and have installed a motorcycle headlight modulator that will change the lamps intensity while...

• Motorcycles and Deer Don't Mix in Iowa

  Steve Lombardi | September 24, 2007 12:00 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  This year already 8 people have died as a result of deer coming into contact with a moving motorcycle. That should tell us something. Deer are most active at dawn and dusk. That should tell us something about riding during those hours. During those hours motorcycle drivers and riders should be hyper vigilant. From 1995 to 2005 the state of Iowa recorded 18 deaths from motorcycle-deer crashes. Of...

• Iowa - Motorcycle Collision and Rollover

  Steve Lombardi | September 19, 2007 9:28 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  The Gazette reported a motorcycle rolled over "several times" after going into the ditch along Highway 151 on Monday night. The woman, Treva Rai Rich, was taken to the hospitals in Iowa City. Her condition was "believed to be life-threatening." The driver, Robert Embry went from the hospital in Cedar Rapids to the University Hospitals. Neither were wearing helmets. The Wall Street Journal ran an...

• Iowa Motorcyclist - What made him go over the center line?

  Steve Lombardi | September 18, 2007 9:45 AM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  An accident in Davenport left a motorcyclist in critical condition. It was reported by the Des Moines Register that, Jan Deverwaere was in critical condition Sunday, said a spokeswoman for Genesis Medical Center in Davenport.Police said Deverwaere was driving a motorcycle westbound on West Sixth Street about 5:30 p.m. and turned right onto North Division Street.The motorcycle apparently crossed...

• Iowa - Waterloo Motorcycle Collision on Hwy. 218

  Steve Lombardi | September 17, 2007 2:50 PM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  Apparently I had less than all the facts earlier when I wrote about this accident on Highway 218 in Waterloo involving the Brayton boy and the Wright couple. It seems there was a second motorcycle being driven by a Mr. James Graham of Brandon.His injuries were reported as possible life-threatening and he was airlifted to Iowa City Hospitals. The same issues concerning liability as stated in my...

• Waterloo, Iowa - Motorcycle Accident Killed Two

  Steve Lombardi | September 17, 2007 1:18 PM | 0 CommentsDes Moines, IA

  It's been reported that two motorcyclists, a husband and wife were killed by a car that crossed the center line on Highway 218 last Thursday night. It was reported that the driver of the car, a 17 year old boy, fell asleep at the wheel while driving just after 11:00 PM. I'm not sure why anyone would fall asleep while driving that early in the evening but there can be many causes. If there is no...