Among the hundreds of motorcyclists riding in Gretna, Louisiana, to highlight motorist inattentiveness were family members of victims lost in fatal accidents. Many people had a story to tell about either their own injuries or how they were coping with the loss of a loved one.
In the past year, there have been at least 2,000 motorcycle accidents in Louisiana, of which 70 were fatal. According to the president of the Motorcycle Awareness Campaign, motorists are more likely to be at fault for not seeing motorcyclists and causing wrongful deaths.
The campaign leader also stressed that there are usually more accidents around this time of the year, which is why efforts were staged to create awareness about motorcyclists and to ask motorists to be aware of riders.
There was a moment of silence for those lost in crashes after the motorcycles were blessed. A motorcycle had been converted into a hearse for the occasion, onto which family members of victims placed a card bearing their names. A procession with the hearse at the front led the motorcyclists from Gretna to Westwego.
The sudden loss of a loved one is an especially difficult time, as family members struggle with the emotional toll it takes on them. At times, their grieving process is marred by financial difficulties that can arise from the cost of funeral expenses and a loss of income. The decedent’s spouse or children can file a wrongful death claim in order to make compensation available to recover monetary loss so they can focus on restoring their lives.
Source: WGNO News, “You may not always see them, but they are around,” Sandra Gonzalez, April 15, 2012