Welcome to Fayetteville for the Bikes, Blues & BBQ Motorcycle Rally

Fayetteville and all of northwest Arkansas welcomes the motorcyclists that have come into town for annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ Motorcycle Rally. Now, I’m sure I don’t have to fill you in on all the details, but the festival began 15 years ago as an informal gathering and it has expanded and grown exponentially since then. Today, the rally considers itself to be the “biggest party in this part of the country”. Whether you are here for the music, food, or simply for riding through Arkansas’ beautiful roadways, you are sure to have an event-filled and wonderful time.

However, please be aware of your surroundings and, if you are going to drink alcohol, please do not ride – even if it is only just down the road. Continuing to take the safety measures that you usually do and staying in good practice, even at a state-wide party, can significantly reduce your likelihood of suffering a serious injury. And you will be sure to want to maintain your usual safety regime as preventing a serious injury is the first step to ensuring that you can enjoy all the Bikes, Blues & BBQ Rally has to offer. We know that you’ll run out of time prior to running out of things to do at the Fayetteville Bikes, Blues & BBQ Motorcycle Rally and at all of the other attractions available in Rogers, Fort Smith, and throughout Sebastian County.

Drinking and Driving Significantly Increases Risk of Injury or Death

According to statistics provided by the CDC, over 10,000 people were killed in alcohol-related crashed in 2010. That makes up nearly one-third of all traffic deaths in the United States. Furthermore, the CDC has identified young people and motorcyclists as two of the groups most likely to suffer the negative consequences of drunk or impaired driving. For young people, and especially young men, the risk of crash is greater at all levels of BAC impairment when compared with a similarly situated older adult. For motorcyclists who were fatally injured in 2010, 28% had a BAC above .08% — the legal limit. Furthermore for motorcyclists, nearly half of those who were killed in 2010 were age 40 or older. 44% of all deaths  among motorcyclists aged 40 to 44 was due to a BAC of .08% or more.

Use Care While Riding throughout the State

The State of Arkansas is engaged in an ongoing process to improve safety on Arkansas’ highways and other roadways. The office in charge of highway safety in Arkansas has issued a statement that reads, “The Arkansas Highway Safety Office coordinates a statewide behavioral highway safety program making effective use of federal and state highway safety funds and other resources to save lives and reduce injuries on the state’s roads, and provide leadership, innovation and program support in partnership with traffic safety advocates, professionals and organizations.”

However there are nonetheless some risks that are more pronounced while riding a motorcycle. In response to the doubling of motorcycle rider fatalities from 1998 to 2008, the NHSTA commissioned a number of studies to better understand emerging risks. The NHTSA has identified the reduced conspicuity of motorcycles, in comparison to larger passenger vehicles like cars and SUVS, is a major factor in motorcycle crashes. One of the most common instances where reduced conspicuity plays a role is in left-hand turns. Left-hand turn collisions make up 42% of accidents involving a car and motorcycle.

Other acts and practices that greatly increase the risk of a motorcycle crash include lane-splitting, roadway hazards and debris, speeding, and other dangerous acts.

Unfortunately when a motorcycle accident does occur, the consequences are typically much more severe. A motorcycle does not offer the same level of protection as the airbags and glass and steel of a car do. Therefore, it is essential that motorcyclists are smart in their riding and make good use of their bike’s maneuverability and other active safety features.

Enjoy the rally and call us if an injury does occur

Fayetteville AR personal injury lawyer Ken Kieklak is here to help. By maintaining an awareness of your surroundings and refraining from drinking and driving you should be able to avoid many of the more serious injury risks and enjoy the Bikes, Blues & BBQ Rally. However, sometimes accidents do happen due to carelessness or recklessness. If you or a loved one does unfortunately suffer a serious injury, be sure to seek medical attention immediately. Then call the motorcycle accident lawyers of the Law Practice of Ken Kieklak at (479) 316-0438 or contact us online. We have represented those injured due to another person’s carelessness for more than 20 years.