James Van Stephenson, a 46-year-old man from Malakoff, died on Thursday, May 21, following a motorcycle crash in Henderson County, Athens, Texas. According to accident reports, the victim lost control of his vehicle leading to the collision.
Stephenson was traveling north on State Loop 7 on his motorcycle. He passed the driver of another vehicle in a no-passing zone, causing him to lose control of his bike. The motorbike ended up sliding into the roadway.
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Preliminary investigations revealed that Stephenson wasn’t wearing a helmet when the collision occurred. Justice of the Peace Belinda Brownlow pronounced Stephenson dead at the scene. Investigations into the crash are ongoing.
There are a lot of dangers associated with riding motorcycles. That is why patrol officers and road traffic authorities advise motorcyclists always to drive safely.
The U.S Department of Transportation’s National Traffic Safety Administration states a motorcyclist is 37 times more likely to die in an accident than a car. NHTSA also says that one is nine times more likely to get injured riding a motorcycle than while driving a vehicle.
Apart from driving safely and avoiding the use of excessive speeds, motorcyclists must also protect themselves. They must wear protective gear like helmets, knee guards, gloves, and jackets when they ride their bikes.
Helmets help to reduce the fatality rates in motorcycle crashes and also prevent life-threatening injuries. Accident reports show that motorbike collisions where the riders wore helmets had a lower fatality rate than those without helmets. Motorcyclists must take heed to these measures and drive safely to prevent accidents.