Lees Motorcycle Accident

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Lees Motorcycle Accident

• a self investigation

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Just A Normal Commute?

• Monday March 9, 2009 600am
• Conditions warm, dry and dark
• Nasa 1 overpass on I-45 removed the previous
  weekend
• New feeder road detour around overpass opened
  just that morning
• I was one of the very first vehicles to travel on
  this new section of pavement

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Accident occurred here
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Accident occurred here
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What Happened?

• Motorcycle slid out from under me while
  attempting the corner at about 20mph
• Both tires let go instantaneously with no warning
• Felt like hitting a patch of oil or ice
• I fell to the pavement and slid a short distance
• Damage in excess of 5,000

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What Went Wrong?

• Root Cause
• Concrete curing compound (white stuff sprayed on
  new concrete) created a very slippery surface on
  the newly opened section of road
• Contributing Causes
• Lack of awareness that a hazardous condition
  existed
• First time on new detour (lack of familiarity)

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What is Curing Compound?

• Concrete curing compound is formulated from
  hydrocarbon resins. Once applied, it forms a
  liquid membrane that retains an optimum amount of
  water present in freshly placed concrete to allow
  complete hydration of the cement. NOTE After
  approximately four weeks, the membrane begins to
  chemically break down. When the curing cycle is
  complete, the membrane will eventually wear off
  the surface. This process usually takes another
  three to five weeks under normal traffic and
  weathering conditions.

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Notice how the curing compound coated my
tire after driving only about 30 feet on this
unopened section of pavement
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Notice how thick the curing compound is on the
road it nearly fills the grooves
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After one day of traffic most of the curing
compound had worn off the road and accumulated on
the shoulder
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What Went Right?

• No injuries, not even a scratch the protective
  riding gear did its job!
• Insurance will cover the cost to repair the
  motorcycle and replace the riding gear

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Lessons Learned

• Beware of concrete curing compound on new roads
  extremely slippery!
• Use extra caution when traveling on an unfamiliar
  road or detour
• Wear your protective gear!!!