Motorcycle Deaths Up in Orange County, CA

[alanmcorcoran]

Traffic fatalities in Orange County fell 16 percent in 2008 – but motorcycle deaths rose sharply, according to new federal data.

The number of people killed in Orange County traffic accidents fell to 163 last year from 194 in 2007, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

However, the number of motorcyclists killed rose to 36 in 2008 from 25 a year earlier – a jump of 44 percent.

Full Story: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/traf ... motorcycle

[burkbuilds]

I would bet that you'd find a pretty large increase in the number of miles being driven over the year before probably due to the higher gas prices. Might not be an actual increase in death per miles driven just a big jump in overall death because so many more people were riding, and many of them inexperienced as well. I found the same sort of "statistics" used widely to support mandatory helmet use legislation when I did a research paper last year. Pro mandatory legislature articles always cited how the institution of a mandatory helmet law in their state caused a 25% drop in motorcycle fatalities the following year. What they ALWAYS failed to mention was that when the mandatory helmet law went into effect motorcycle sales droped 25 %, miles driven by motorcyclists dropped 25%, registrations of motorcycles dropped by 25%. Then if the state repealed the law they cited that deaths went up by 25% the next year but again failed to mention that all the other things went up as well. Effectively a statistical wash, but they wanted to compare apples to oranges to promote their point. Gotta watch these statistical folks, as Daddy used to say "figures don't lie, but liars figure!"

[alanmcorcoran]

Yeah, they mention some of that stuff in the Full article. The Register has a motorcycle accident story almost every day and a fatality about once every other week. A lot of the fatal accidents are on the 91, Santiago Canyon and the Ortega Highway - all of which I ride regularly. There was one a few weeks ago where an Italian tourist turned her rental car left in front of a guy (on a Harley I think.) He died at the scene. She pled guilty to manslaughter.

[alantf]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Traffic fatalities in Orange County fell 16 percent in 2008 – but motorcycle deaths rose sharply, according to new federal data.

There's a programme on Sky about the guy who makes choppers in Orange County. I've noticed that when they go out for a test run, they don't always wear helmets (just a bandana). Aren't helmets mandatory in Orange County?

[alanmcorcoran]

That's more than likely Orange County, New York. (American Chopper.) I think there's an Orange County in nearly every state! (Well, at least NY, CA and Florida.) There's a number of copy cat custom chopper shows and I think at least one of them originates out here, but if it's Paulie Sr. and Jr.'s antics you are watching, that one is in New York.

There's a number of states without mandatory helmets - Illinois is the one I've been to most often. But not California. We're usually among the first in line when it comes to that sort of thing (seat belt laws, cell phone bans, etc.)

[alantf]

Yes, it's the New York show. In my innocence I assumed that "Orange County" was just one place,

[alanmcorcoran]

I've made the same mistake (Facebook friending people I thought were local, but were actually in Forida!)