Nader Faraj, a Dearborn resident, on his motorcycle with his wife.

DEARBORN — The recent death of a 19-year-old man in a motorcycle crash has propelled discussions about safety concerns for the popular cruising activity in the local community. 

Family and friends continue to mourn the loss of Mohamad Hazimi following his death on Sunday, August 28. He was riding his Suzuki motorcycle well above the speed limit on Warren Ave. near Schaefer Road, when he struck a Jeep.

Dearborn Police deemed that Hazimi had been “recklessly” operating his bike moments before he crashed it. 

But that appears to be the norm in Dearborn. According to police, there have been four accidents involving motorcycles in the last four months.

Residents in particular have grown increasingly frustrated with bikers driving erratically in their neighborhood streets. 

A local woman named Jenna told The AANews that two young men who live in the same household on her block have routinely caused a disturbance as they speed off on their bikes every night. 

“It will be 2 in the morning and you will hear them racing down the street,” Jenna said. “We live near the train tracks and that train is more soothing to hear than those boys riding 60 miles per hour down our block.”

Sarah, another local resident, said her son has a fascination with motorcycles. Some of his friends have already obtained their motorcycle endorsements from the state and are owners of bikes. 

Seeing young adults riding recklessly in Dearborn has caused her great concern, so much that when her son turned 18, she rejected his plea to buy him a motorcycle as a birthday gift. 

 “Not under my roof,” Sarah said. “Even when your child becomes an adult, it doesn’t mean you stop parenting them. My son will never be allowed to come home and park a bike in the driveway. He’ll have to move out and get his own place if he wants one.”

Sarah said she’s certain that her son is not riding a motorcycle behind her back, because she keeps a close eye on him. However, she noted that there’s a trend in the community where parents aren’t allowing their kids to ride or purchase a motorcycle, but they are still doing it anyway.

“A lot of these boys are buying these bikes and storing it in someone else’s garage,” Sarah
said. “The parents don’t have the slightest clue. If you know your son is hanging out with bikers, then chances are he’s likely riding one too.”

‘Getting hooked’

Dearborn resident Nader Faraj had been a biker for more than 20 years. He’s owned and driven everything from sports bikes and cruisers to Harley-Davidsons and BMW race bikes.

He told The AANews that he decided to retire the activity because he now has a wife and two sons and he doesn’t want to jeopardize his life for a thrill.

“I have a family to think about,” Faraj said. “I had my time and it was great.”

He recalled getting ‘hooked’ on the bike at the age of 17, after riding as a passenger with his friend. From there, his interest in the activity would grow. He became acquainted with a group of friends who all had bikes. Together, they would ride all over Metro Detroit. 

“I fell in love with it,” Faraj said. “When the wind blows in your face, it feels like you are flying. It’s a great feeling that relieves a lot of stress.”

But that rush would quickly turn into horror. After purchasing his first bike, he crashed it just a while after. Faraj noted that as a young biker, he was putting himself in danger on a daily basis. 

“I didn’t treat it the way it needed to be treated,” Faraj said. “I totally abused it. And that’s the problem. Teenagers are purchasing it and not realizing that it’s like a loaded gun. If you don’t handle the gun correctly, it will kill you or someone else. It’s a lot of power in their hands.”

Faraj would eventually become a responsible rider. It’s something he said comes with more experience. But still, it can never guarantee a person’s safety. 

Drivers of automobiles can be just as negligent as motorcyclists– and when those two forces collide, the result can often be fatal or permanently damaging.

“I’ve watched friends get run off the road,” Faraj said. “One of my friends hit a car and lost an arm and an eye. This was 20 years ago; and to this day, this person still struggles. I’ve seen a lot of people get hurt and heard of a lot of people who got killed.” 

Faraj said he frequently sees young adults driving around Dearborn wearing no protective gear. He advises all riders to wear a helmet, gloves and a jacket. 

“I’ve seen people riding with tank tops and no helmet,” Faraj said. “It kills me. One accident will change your life. It’s heartbreaking, especially when you see teenage girls riding as back seat passengers without any protective gear. It’s sad to see what’s going on. Hopefully, tragedies make people realize that this is a real danger.”

Faraj noted that if his son were interested in purchasing a bike at the age of 18, he wouldn’t allow it.

“I will fight to my death to make sure he will not ride a motorcycle,” Faraj said. “I’m totally against a teenager riding. If I tell him yes, there’s a chance my son will get killed. I will do everything in my power to stop that from happening. I would rather fight with my son than give him the green light to go out and buy a bike.”

Sam Bazzi, a Dearborn resident, has been riding a motorcycle in Michigan for five years. Bazzi told The AANews that it’s not his main form of transportation— he only rides it on the weekends as a hobby, because he gets a thrill out of it.

“I don’t go on the highways or anything,” Bazzi said. “It’s very dangerous on the freeways or streets with more than a 45 miles per hour speed limit. You have to be aware of the risks when riding.”

Bazzi doesn’t have any kids. However, in a hypothetical situation, he said he wouldn’t allow his son or daughter to ride a motorcycle.

“Here is the key to all parents,” Bazzi said. “You have to prevent them from taking that first ride. It’s that first time that gets you hooked.”

Motorcycle laws

In recent years, the state has seen a surge in fatal accidents involving motorcycles. Many point to a law implemented in 2012 making it became legal for a biker over the age of 21 to ride without a helmet. A biker is also required to have at least $20,000 worth of first-party medical benefits on their car insurance.

Earlier this year, the Governors Highway Safety Association cited an increase of 23 percent in fatal accidents involving motorcycles in 2015. The Washington, D.C-based group said there were 138 motorcycle deaths in the state last year, compared to 112 fatalities in 2014. They are urging state legislatures to retool the helmet law.

“State highway safety officials noted the repeal of Michigan’s all-rider helmet law in 2012 has been a factor in a portion of the increase in fatalities to motorcyclists, due to fewer riders wearing helmets, which decreases the chances of surviving a crash,” the group said.

It noted that Michigan was one of 31 states that had increases in motorcycle deaths in 2015.

Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who has been outspoken about his admiration for the motorcycle, has been touring the state this week on his Harley Davidson. He plans to travel across 20 counties to meet with constituents. 

In a statement to The AANews, Peters said that lawmakers need to work with drivers to ensure safety on the roads. 

“I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was a teenager on the roads of Rochester,” Peters said.  “It is one of my favorite pastimes and one where protection is paramount. We can work together to prevent tragic motorcycles deaths by ensuring motorcyclists are riding safely and automobile drivers are aware of their surroundings. Particularly with more and more drivers on the road each day, proper precautions are key in safeguarding our roads for all Michiganders.”