As an avid motorcycle rider and motorcycle attorney I have to say that I have heard way too many motorcycle fatality stories lately. There seem to be more bikers who are crashing and more car drivers who are hitting motorcycles, with often deadly consequences. So, once again it is my sad duty to blog to the motorcycle community about another life lost, and the facts are not readily available.

Sadly, on Thursday evening, January 5th, a 34-year-old motorcyclist riding in East Oakland hit a car and was killed. The details as to the cause or causes of this fatal East Oakland motorcycle accident are not all in. If you or someone you know witnessed this Oakland motorcycle accident, please call the Oakland Police Department at your very earliest opportunity.

The fallen motorcycle rider was identified as Oakland resident Jeffery Alexander, according to the Alameda County Coroner's Office.

The motorcycle car accident occurred about 5:30 p.m. at 98th Avenue and Olive Street when the motorcycle was apparently hit by a small white sedan. Although several emergency personnel responded to the accident scene, they were unable to save the life of this latest fatal Oakland motorcycle accident victim.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family of Mr. Alexander.

About the author: Claude Wyle is an aggressive advocate for San Francisco Bay Area motorcle riders. Claude has decades of experience representing those harmed by the wrongful conduct of others, and, as a San Francisco and Oakland motorcycle accident attorney, has fought to protect the rights of injured motorcyclists throughout his legal career.

A man remains in a coma following a motorcycle accident on December 13. Apparently, traffic began to slow and the man could not stop before he rear-ended a vehicle in front of him. The motorcyclist suffered a traumatic head injury. Police said he was wearing a helmet, but it was not one approved by the US Department of Transportation (DOT).

Motorcycles are vulnerable on the road. They provide virtually no protection because they do not have seatbelts; a rider can easily be thrown off in the event of an accident causing serious injuries or death. The good news is that motorcycle helmets can, and do save lives.

The DOT requires that all helmets sold in the United States meet a minimum level of performance to protect the head and brain in the event of an accident. Some motorcyclists violate these State laws by wearing unsafe helmets that do not meet the standards. These helmets are sold as “novelty” items and circumvent the law. Some motorcyclists mistakenly purchase these helmets thinking they offer proper protection while others know they are unsafe and wear them anyway. To know how to distinguish the difference, click here.

Helmet use is not a “cure-all” for motorcycle safety, but in an accident it can protect your brain and your face, and highly probable, your life.

Mark Bello has thirty-three years experience as a trial lawyer and twelve years as an underwriter and situational analyst in the lawsuit funding industry. He is the owner and founder of Corporation which helps provide cash flow solutions and consulting when necessities of life funding is needed during litigation. Bello is a Justice Pac member of the American Association for Justice, Sustaining and Justice Pac member of the Michigan Association for Justice, Business Associate of the Florida, Tennessee, and Colorado Associations for Justice, a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan and the Injury Board.

If you live or drive in California, you’ve likely seen the billboards or television ads or heard the radio spots with the slogan “it’s not worth it!” That slogan is talking about using your cell phone or handheld device while driving. And they are serious. Distracted driving is a huge traffic safety issue and the use of handheld electronic devices is a major contributor. As a result, states across the nation—including California—have been camping up their efforts over the last several years to combat this issue.

So how big of an issue is it? And how dangerous is it to use your phone while driving? Some of the numbers are pretty shocking:

• 80% of all vehicle crashes involve some sort of driver inattention and talking on a cell phone or texting is the number one source of driver distractions.
• Most crashes happen with less than 3 seconds of reaction time; texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of 5 seconds, during which your vehicle traveling at 55 mph can cover the length of a football field.
• Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.
• Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent.
• Using a cell phone while driving—even if it is hands-free—delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. Driving while using your cell phone is as bad as driving drunk.

These numbers highlight the need for drivers to change their behavior when it comes to using their cell phone or handheld device in the car. Some of the recommended behavioral changes include:

• Never text and drive
• Turn off your phone when you get behind the wheel
• Don’t text of call someone when you know they are likely to be driving.
• Make a pact with your loved ones—family, spouse, children drivers and caregivers—to never use the phone with kids in the car
• Don’t program your GPS, MP3 player or other devices while driving
• Pull over and stop if you need to make a call or use your phone