The weather is cooling off and that motorcycle is looking more and more attractive. Before you ride it’s worth remembering motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of injury and death and any crash involving a motorcycle has the potential to be even more deadly. Riders should take every precaution to avoid potentially life-threatening accidents and no matter the rider’s level of experience, actions including wearing protective gear and taking rider education courses may help.
As personal injury attorneys we see far too many motorcycle accidents where the rider was the victim of negligent behavior. Sadly, many of these riders face life changing injuries. Our goal today is to remind you of the most common hazards riders face on the road and suggest ways to avoid them. There is no level of preparedness or education that can help a rider avoid all hazards, but our hope is a gentle reminder may be of value on the road.
Cars Turning Left – Passenger vehicles frequently turn into the path of oncoming motorcyclists leaving the potential for devastating injuries. While many drivers look for other cars before turning, motorcycles may be difficult to see and their speed may be hard for some drivers to determine. The National Highway Safety Administration says cars turning into a motorcycle’s path account for nearly one-third of all motor vehicle accidents. Riders need to be overly alert to situations like this and proactive in their avoidance.
Unsafe Lane Changes – Changing traffic lanes reveals an increased risks for a crash. Even the most cautious rider paying close attention may miss a car, or particularly a motorcyclist, tucked into their blind spot. Motorcyclists can take several actions to avoid lane change collisions by avoiding blind spots and being aware of slowing traffic.
Lane Splitting – As of October 4, 2021 Lane splitting remains both extremely dangerous and legal in California. Riders need to remain vigilant and remember other drivers don’t expect motorcyclists to drive between cars. Additionally, when a motorcycle is confined between lanes of traffic it’s difficult to impossible for a rider to make an evasive maneuver when traveling at a high speed. The California Highway Patrol has advice for any motorcyclist who chooses to lane split to avoid riding near oversize vehicles and riding with your headlight on.
Head-on Collisions – Head-on collisions are, without question, the most deadly type of crash between motorcycles and other any other type of a vehicle. These crashes are typically caused by distraction on the part of the rider or another driver, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, poor visibility and even unsafe passing of other vehicles. To better your odds be aware of the road ahead, reduce your speed and ride to the right.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when insurance companies fail to offer full compensation. We help with serious injuries that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth, LLP. Our attorneys have more than 60 years of experience specializing in only representing injured people. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We would be honored to represent you!
