If you’ve recently been in a San Diego motorcycle accident – or if a friend or family member got hurt – the last thing you probably want to do is to read about other scary motorcycle crashes.
But examining celebrity accidents can be useful, because this exercise can teach us vivid safety lessons. To that end, let’s look at three more celebrity bike accidents:
1. Gary Busey, helmet skeptic, becomes helmet advocate after brain injury inducing crash.
Actor Gary Busey is known for portraying wild, iconic characters. He “lived wild” off the screen as well. In 1988, he horrifically crashed his new Harley-Davidson in Culver City, California. According to legend, Busey landed right in front of a police officer, who used Busey’s own gloves to staunch the head wound until rescue workers arrived. Doctors thought the actor would be permanently brain damaged, but Busey pulled through.
It took him several years, however, to pivot on his stance about helmets.
In 2001, Busey told the press: “riding without a helmet is a gamble everyone is bound to lose.” Recent doctor exams, however, suggest that Busey suffered more brain damage than anyone realized – and that these injuries may have contributed to the actor’s substance abuse issues.
Lesson: head injury recovery is unpredictable. Err on the side of caution, and take all head injuries very seriously. Often, doctors can prevent/stop brain trauma, if it’s identified very early.
2. Ann Margret, 1960’s sex icon, bounces back after a big crash in 2000.
In August, 2000, 59-year-old Ann Margret hit what she called “sugar sand” on a road in Brainerd, Minnesota. She came down hard on the grass. The crash fractured her left shoulder and she fractured three ribs. But she managed to pull herself together enough to serve as the Grand Marshal of a National Hot Rod Association Event the next day. She waved to hundreds and thousands of people (with her arm in a sling!), smiling despite her recent brush with death.
Lesson: sometimes, motorcycle accident victims just get lucky.
3. Ben Roethlisberger’s 2006 motorcycle crash hits “Big Ben” harder than a defensive lineman.
In 2006, the City of Pittsburgh collectively gasped in horrordismay, when Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, smashed up his motorcycle, incurring a head gash and broken jaw and nose. The collective concern turned to anger, once Steelers fans learned that “Big Ben” hadn’t been wearing a helmet and didn’t have his license with him.
Lesson: avoid playing fast and loose with the law. Wear your helmet. Carry your driver’s license with you. Follow all safety and maintenance procedures. In addition to protecting you physically, these actions can also protect you financially from fines, fees and license suspension.
If you or someone you love was recently hurt in a San Diego motorcycle accident, connect with Attorney Dean Goetz at 858-481-8844 to schedule a free case evaluation.