Weekend motorcycle accident results in trauma care

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Several motorcycle accidents have occurred in Towns County in recent months, with a crash occurring Saturday afternoon on State Route 76. A 46 year old male suffered serious injuries following a single vehicle collision Sept. 17, east of Hiawassee. The motorcyclist was airlifted by medical helicopter to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, GA for trauma care.

While the weekend accident did not involve a second vehicle, other crashes have been the result of multi-vehicle collisions this season. On June 27, a motorcyclist on State Highway 75 South attempted to pass a turning vehicle when an accident ensued, resulting in severe trauma to the biker. A local motorcyclist suffered fatal injuries following a two-vehicle collision Aug. 13 on U.S. Route 76, west of Hiawassee.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 80 percent of all motorcycle accidents result in injury or death to the motorcyclist. “The motorcycle itself provides no head injury protection to the rider or passenger,” NHTSA explains. “Ejection from the motorcycle is a common injury pathway. If a motorcycle comes to a sudden stop and the rider is ejected from the motorcycle, the rider will forcibly strike objects in the path as well as the ground.”

A total of 264 motorcyclists lost their lives on Georgia roadways in 2018 due to traffic accidents.

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