Common Reasons for Hiring a Bike Accident Lawyer

Even though it’s winter weather right now, before you know it summer will be here again, and the roadways will have an increasing amount of motorcycles. Motorcycles can carry an increased risk on the road, for both the riders and for surrounding drivers. It’s important for everyone on the road to be aware of these increased risks and to take extra precautions to prevent motorcycle accidents.

MORE DANGEROUS VEHICLES

On the road, a motorcycle allows for less protection than, say, a car or truck. Because of this and the fact that motorcycles are high-performance vehicles, getting into a motorcycle accident can seriously injure the driver. According to a study done by the IIHS, a staggering 92% of bike accidents happened to male drivers. While some of the thrill of a motorcycle may be in the inherent risk, there are still things you can do to prevent a fatal accident from occuring on the road.

COMMON CAUSES FOR ACCIDENTS

There are numerous reasons for a bike accident to happen. Below, we will be going over the 5 most common reasons.

1. A car fails to yield. This might not seem like a big deal, but again going back to less protection on a bike, when a car fails to yield and hits into a bike driver this can result in a terrible accident. According to the NHTSA, of the fatal crashes that happened in 2013, 42% were caused by a car turning left.
2. Hazards on roadways. In a perfect world, the roadways would offer smooth driving for a motorcycle driver. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world. Issues on the road might include; sand, gravel, patches of mud, or other hazards on the road.
3. A car changing lanes. A motorcycle can easily get lost in a driver’s blind spot, which could spell danger if they decide to change lanes and don’t see you. As a motorcycle rider, try to stay out of other cars’ blind spots whenever possible. As a responsible driver in a car, always double-check your blind spot before merging lanes.
4. Group riding. Riding with a group of people can be a lot of fun, but if a member of the pack decides to go faster than the other people in the group, make drastic changes in lanes, or pursue a different route without communicating it to the other drivers in the group, this could cause serious consequences.
5. Alcohol. No matter what vehicle you’re driving, alcohol should never be involved while behind the wheel (or the handlebars.)

If you or someone you know has been involved in a bike accident, contact a bike accident lawyer such as Sloat Law for more information. We offer free consultations so that you can understand what sort of outcomes you can expect from your suit.