The Bull Pen
God Speed Anita
by Dean Akey
In a split second it was over... How could this happen? Anita Zaffke was enjoying some quality two wheel time in Lake Zurich IL Saturday afternoon, May 2nd and noticed the light was turning red. Zaffke stopped and waited for the light to change so she could resume her ride. The light never did turn Green for Zaffke.
Zaffke was struck by Lora Hunt, 48 who admittedly was painting her nails at the time she hit Zaffke with her Chevy Impala. According to Lake County Sherriff Mark Curran, Hunt conceded that she was not paying attention and did not see the motorcycle stopped in front of her.
Zaffke was wearing a helmet and reflective vest when struck. The impact was so violent that it threw Zaffke and her Honda Shadow about 200 feet up the road. Think about it, 200 feet is the height of a 20 story building. Zaffke died about an hour later at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington IL.
In just a split second Hunt took away everything that Zaffke was and could be. For Anita Zaffke, life was over.
The Lake County State's Attorney is investigating the accident and will decide if criminal prosecution is warranted. Unfortunately, under existing statutes, proving felony vehicular homicide may be a difficult case to prosecute based upon the existing definition. State Rep. William Black (R-Danville) sponsored the "negligent vehicular homicide" bill which would carry a penalty of up to 3 years in prison. Black introduced the bill this year after a bicyclist in his district was killed by a motorist downloading ringtones to a cell phone. Under the proposed law, distracted drivers who cause deaths would face a prison sentence as well as a $25,000 fine and revocation of their driver's license for at least one year upon conviction.
This tragedy has renewed the debate in Illinois whether a momentary distraction amounts to criminal behavior, comparable to drunken driving.
Let's face the facts. Motorcycle accidents and fatalities are a major concern. "Our nation's greatest traffic highway safety challenge is motorcycle fatalities," says U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, noting that biking deaths are rising while other vehicle fatalities are declining"
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2007, 5,154 people died in motorcycle crashes, the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. The 2007 figure represents a 6.6 percent from 4,837 the previous year.
Motorcycle crash fatalities have increased every year for the past 10 years. Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled in 2006 and eight times more likely to be injured, according to NHTSA.
Zaffke's accident is a fairly rare occurrence. According to the NHTSA, Only 5 percent of motorcycle fatalities were struck in the rear. 78 percent of the motorcycles fatalities involve two vehicles were struck the impact is in the front.
So what can my 7.1 million biker brothers and sisters do to help address this epidemic? As bikers we need to be seen and heard. I hope you join me in supporting legislation like the negligent vehicular homicide bill that would allow us to effectively prosecute those who do us harm.
I would also ask you to join me in developing your skills to provide emergency medical assistance to the victims of accidents. What we do immediately after an accident until professional emergency response personnel arrive can and does save lives. I invite you to visit the Rescue Riders www.rescueriders.org and ask yourself if you are ready to "Ride for a Reason".
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Anita Zaffke. There will be a visitation at Ahlgrims funeral home, 415 S Buesching Rd in Lake Zurich on Thursday May 7th 3pm & 9pm. The funeral service will be Friday at 10:00 am. The family has asked us to help spread the word and has encouraged all interested motorcyclists to join these services to honor the memory of Anita Zaffke.
I hope you can join me in honoring Anita and all of our fallen brothers & sisters. God speed Anita.
God speed to her and my thought and prayers are with her family and friends. RIP
Dean - a very tragic tale but well made points. My thoughts and prayers join yours and Caron's for Anita's friends and family. Common sense would eliminate much of this, unfortunatley, it isn't too common.
My prayers are with you and your family. thanks for sharing with the community.
Painting her nails? Unbelievable. When will people get a clue? My prayers are with the family.
Great article, Dean, tragic tale. I often think about all the terrible possibilities that can happen each and every time Ray and I climb on the bikes for a ride. It's horribly ironic that the very thing which makes riding so wonderful also makes it the most dangerous; the freedom of being in open air. I'll not give up riding, ever, because of the stupidity of 'cage' drivers. But I WILL stand up and fight and support the "negligent vehicular homicide" bill, and I urge all others to also. My heart goes out to the family of Anita Zaffke. You are in my prayers.
I have to echo the comments already posted...
As a fellow biker, I'm always thinking and looking at those 'caged' (myself sometimes) and wonder who will do the next stupid act?
Kudos to Rep. Black, and lets help make it happen...
I truly feel for the family - I know her son and my condolences go out to him and his family.
Dean - Such a tragic story! I have lost loved ones and family members to motorcycle and motor scooter accidents. I actually lost 2 in one summer, and 2 more a few years later within a week. That's in addition to a few others sprinkled in between. The thing about accidents is this. . .If you are in a car, you might have a fightening chance. On a motorcycle, your chances are fairly grim. The motoring public simply doesn't keep, or have motorcycles in their conscience awareness when they are on the road.
If this is not negligent Homicide, I don't know what is. I consider this to be even worse than being hit by a drunk driver. At least the drunk driver's judgement is impaired. This woman got in the car and without a thought to her fellow human beings, made the completely unimpaired choice to paint her nails while driving and murdered someone. All those who share the road, bikers and cagers alike should be outraged. I'm sorry but a ticket for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident just doesn't cut it as a sanction for the whole "oops, I was painting my nails" and killed you scenario. I absolutely support the negligent vehicular homicide bill.
Oh Dean, I am so sorry to hear about this. Painting her nails? I can't even imagine. People are just so careless. The penalties for such behavior should, of course, be much greater. I'm truly sorry for this loss.
Another tragic story. Last week my law firm reached 2.2 million readers with full page ads in about 10 papers in Wisconsin and Illinois that said 'WATCH FOR MOTERCYCLES' detailing how car drivers seriously injure or kill motorcyclists. Apparently we need to reach more people. M. Hupy
Mike, the work that Hupy & Abraham does to support bikers is amazing. I wish we had more folks that were truly concerned with the well being of bikers like your firm is.
So sorry to hear about this horrific accident. I hope the politicians change the laws to help protect all of us.
It is such a tragedy. My heart and prayers goes out to her family. I just don't understand how careless drivers can be. I am so sorry.
My prayers are with the family. Thank you for informing "our" community.
It's unexcusable. Not just to bikers, but to any motorist.
A drunk (while not excusing thier behavior) is not in full control of thier functions. But and IDIOT, that makes the concious choice to neglect the world around them is unexcusable. Guilty to Nth degree.
Death is not the only cause for concern. I've known far to many brethern that have been hit by a car while sitting at a light. Some recovered. Some may never be the same. And in this case, lost forever.
I have no sympathy for the offender. Only for the families loss. The pain and suffering. The heartache. The injustice.
May god bless the Zafke family & friends, and may the man downstairs have a special place for Ms Hunt.
My prayers and thought go out to her family and friends...
This was a mother doing what she enjoyed doing and what millions of Americans love to do. Most pll that ride unfortunatelly go home this way unexpected. If i was painting my nails while driving and killed an innocent victim i would die myself. However most ppl i know love to ride and so do i. My main concern when i see riders is to give them space and to also give myself much space when stopping ect... My prayers go out to her family and friends and to everyone who has lost loved ones while riding. I will remember this story as the several that i have stored in my mind and when the time is right i will i will shout out to her and all my other possies also.These ppl are never forgotten.
My heart is very heavy knowing the circumstances around this tragic event. I certainly hope they decide on some punishment other than a $75.00 failure to avoid an accident ticket.
I read this....It's horrible. Sounds like the person who hit her was a good person, who just was so incredibly negligent and irresponsible. I feel horrible for her as well as the victim's family.
I'm back full time tomorrow. Let me know ahead of time on your next lunch rotary.
Dean,
This is a sad and thoughtful post. It is a tribute to an innocent life gone over irresponsibility. Thank you for sharing this as it makes me that much more grateful for being alive. I will keep her family in my thoughts. Sadly I doubt this tragedy will have an affect on the laws unless someone pushes it like Candi Lightner did when her daughter Cari was killed by a drunk driver. She later had the laws changed and founded MADD. I remember it well as I went to school with Cari Lightner and remember her tragic death. http://www.bookrags.com/biography/candy-lightner/
Coincidentally Candi Lightner was a real estate agent when this happened and because of her efforts the laws are much strickter now for DWI/DUI.
What a sad story ...
I hope that some good will result.
Featured in the Group "Square Pegs!"
What do we have to do to be seen? My condolences to the family and friends.
This is totally unacceptable. Distracted driving is a crime. I may not be intentional but it IS irresponsible & criminal. How sad that her family has to endure this pain. Even with a reflective vest and helmet she should not have been killed while doing nothing wrong. You are I are both dedicated to reducing injuries and fatlaites to motorcyclists. While we concentrate on the training aspect, this crime is also preventable. Thanks for all you do.
How terrible. And it always happens so quickly. I am going to send a link to this blog to a friend of mine. She is a member of a local bike club that does great things in our area.
"painting her nails at the time"
A study showed that talking on a cell ohone while driving, even hands free, slowed the driver reaction time to that equivalent of a drunk driver.
Driving is a priviledge that carries with it a huge responsibilty - driving safely so as not to hurt another.
I'm sorry for your loss. I hope your efforts yield results that go beyond the biker - to ensure the safety of all.