Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents are extremely dangerous because the motorcycle rider is not strapped or belted in and protected, but instead exposed to the full brunt of the impact. Three quarters of motorcycle accidents occur when another vehicle and a motorcycle collide. Often, it is difficult to distinguish who is at fault in a motorcycle accident, so it is important for anyone involved to get good legal representation to make sure their rights are protected.
Since 1966, over 100,000 riders have been killed in motorcycle accidents. As stated earlier, 75% of motorcycle accidents involve a collision with another vehicle, most likely a passenger automobile. These motorcycle accidents mostly occur because the motorcyclist was not noticed, usually the result of negligence on the part of the motorcyclist or the other driver. The other quarter of motorcycle accidents involve the motorcycle crashing into a stationary object or into the road itself. In about 2/3 of these accidents, motorcycle rider error was to blame for the accident. The rider may slide out and fall due to over-braking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
The failure of motorists to see motorcycle riders in traffic is the predominate cause of muti-vehicle motorcycle accidents. Motorcyclists must be mindful to make their presence known in traffic so that they do not disasppear into a driver’s blind spots. Crashes often occur at intersections where motorcyclists might be difficult to detect on a busy day. Obviously, the instance of serious injury is greatly lower when motorcyclists wear helmets while riding.
If you are in a motorcycle accident, it is important to contact a lawyer because it is easy to have your rights violated without your knowledge in a post-crash situation. Motorcycle accidents often involve unique provisions and several different policies of auto insurance. A lawyer is necessary to ensure that you get what is owed to you in compensation. Also, at times, it is difficult to judge who was at fault for the accident and retaining a lawyer may be necessary for any proceedings that may follow.