Rise in Daytona Trauma Incidents During Bike Week 2017

Bike Week 2018 in Daytona is swiftly approaching, and while motorcyclists across Florida and our local area are gearing up for another week of fun, law enforcement officials are working hard to ensure that increased safety measures are in place for this year’s event.

The reason behind this is that, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Bike Week 2017 saw an “unusually high number” of people admitted to intensive care units. In fact, it was the most dangerous Daytona Bike Week in many years. There were 69 total Bike Week-related trauma patients admitted to Halifax Health Medical Center throughout the course of the 10-day event, according to data released by the hospital.

This number was significantly higher than any year dating back to 2013. The second-highest total came in 2016, when 54 trauma patients were admitted to Halifax Health, the only trauma center in Flagler and Volusia counties.

From 2012 to 2016, the average number of hospital admissions related to motorcycle crashes was just below 44. In 2017, 75 percent of all patients who went to the hospital during Bike Week festivities were not Volusia County residents, and 30 patients were from out of state.

Preparing for a safer event

Hospital and law enforcement officials have declined to call the event a safety risk. After Bike Week 2017 concluded, Police Chief Craig Capri said the 2017 event was the best Bike Week ever from a law enforcement perspective, with relatively few arrests despite the higher number of accidents.

All parties involved in the event are committed to significantly reducing the number of accidents and injuries this year.

However, accidents do happen, and motorcycle crashes can be especially dangerous. If you or a loved one suffers injuries due to someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced Florida personal injury attorney at Largey Law to learn more about your legal options.