It’s a harrowing year to be a motorcyclist traveling on Lee County roadways.
In the first nine months of 2015, 19 motorcycle riders and passengers have died in crashes, a 46 percent increase from all of 2014, when 13 fatalities were reported.
Those deaths account for 26 percent of Lee’s 76 traffic fatalities through last Friday, 22 more than occurred through the same date last year.
In Collier County, there were 26 traffic deaths through last Friday, up from 22 through the same date in 2014. A News-Press records search found two motorcyclists have died in Collier so far this year after three such fatalities in 2014.
The contributing factors for Lee’s motorcycle fatalities are the same ones that lead to passenger vehicle deaths – speeding, driving under the influence, failure to stop at a traffic signal and reckless driving.
Nine, however, resulted primarily from other drivers’ actions, the most common of which is simply failing to notice the presence of a motorcycle.
“It’s like a football game,” said Shayne Hanley, the president of the Lee County chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, or ABATE, a motorcycle rights organization. “When I’m on the road, I’m either playing offense or defense because people aren’t taking into account that I’m out there.”
And when a car or a truck hits a motorcycle, it’s the motorcyclist who invariably fares the worst. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, per mile driven, fatality rates are 26 times higher for motorcyclists than for passenger vehicle occupants. Nationally, while motorcycles account for only 3 percent of all vehicles on the road, they account for 14 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities.
A tragic ride home
Lesley Colantonio wasn’t thrilled when her husband Robert purchased his first motorcycle in the final days of 2014.
“It made me nervous,” she said. “But Robert was the kind of person who never asked for anything so I wanted to make him happy.”
So she reluctantly supported her 49-year-old husband’s wish and crossed her fingers.
“I told him I didn’t want him to become a statistic,” Lesley Colantonio said. “He’d look at me like I was crazy and say I was worrying for nothing.”
Tragically, her fears were realized. On Jan. 3, less than a week after her husband purchased his 2001 Harley-Davidson Road King, he was struck from behind by a hit-and-run driver on I-75 at mile marker 116 in Bonita Springs. Colantonio, who was wearing a helmet, died at the scene.
“He took all the classes, did all the right things, always wore a helmet,” Lesley Colantonio said. “It didn’t matter.”
The Florida Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash that killed Colantonio. FHP Lt. Greg Bueno said the hit-and-run vehicle has been impounded, but the investigation is ongoing to establish the driver. Anyone with information can call the FHP at 938-1800.
“I don’t like to think about the fact this person could be roaming the streets for the rest of their life and not pay for what they did,” Lesley Colantonio said. “This person must have zero conscience.”
No universal helmet law in Florida
While wearing a helmet wasn’t enough to save Robert Colantonio’s life, studies demonstrate helmet usage, like seat belts, greatly increases a motorcyclist’s chance of surviving a crash.
Florida, however, is one of 28 states that require helmets only for specific riders; in this case, for riders under the age of 21 or for those with less than $10,000 in medical coverage for motorcycle-related injuries. Three states (Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire) have no law.
A 2014 study showed 89 percent of motorcyclists wore helmets in states with universal laws compared to 48 percent in all other states. According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 2008 and 2010, fatally injured motorcyclists in states with a partial helmet law were more than five times as likely not to have been wearing a helmet as those in states with a universal helmet law (64 percent versus 12 percent).
Hanley, who said he frequently wears his helmet, especially on longer rides, said he believes motorcyclists should have the right to choose.
“My opinion of that is let those who ride decide,” he said. “In fact, I have a sticker that says that on my helmet.
“It’s kind of a touchy issue. To me, it’s an issue of freedom. We have so many people telling us what to do in this country it’s unbelievable.”
Safety courses mandatory for new riders
Obtaining a motorcycle license involves a lot more than just passing a road and written test. In Florida, prospective riders are also required to complete an approved motorcycle safety course consisting of approximately 20 hours of classroom and on road training.
Six Bends Harley-Davidson in Fort Myers offers just such a course at its Riding Academy. Sheila Corbin, the manager of the academy, said instructors stress that all riders are responsible for their own safety and stress the importance of wearing proper riding gear, including long sleeved shirts, denim pants and yes, helmets.
“Cars don’t always see people on motorcycles so we encourage them to wear bright clothing and a reflective safety vest,” she said. “It’s important that they’re always aware of their surroundings – in front, behind and on the side.”
Damien Suffridge, 23, of Fort Myers is one of the riders enrolled in the Six Bends academy. The Indiana native said he grew up riding motorcycles on back roads in his home state.
“The most important thing is being in control of you own bike and paying attention to what everyone else is doing,” he said. “It’s a lot different than being in a car. You have to worry about everyone else when you’re on a motorcycle.”
Lee County motorcyclist fatalities on rise this year
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