It is possible, in trying to avoid a car accident situation, that you could become involved in the accident anyway – through no fault of your own. Take the case of a person on a motorcycle traveling in a group of other fellow motorcyclists. You have seen groups of motorcycles on the road, and it is a beautiful sight to behold. They are out in strong numbers, with every type of motorcycle model and manufacturer represented in our nation’s highways and byways.
If they are traveling together, they most likely have an agreement that they will follow each other and stay safe. Even when riding with people you don’t know well (in a club) or have just met (at an event or when traveling to a new city), it is necessary to be careful and maintain safe distances between all riders on the road.
If you are traveling with a group of motorcyclists, or even traveling alone and notice others on the road around you, it is imperative that you leave plenty of distance between your motorcycle and those of the other guy. You will want to consult your owner’s manual or other roadway safety rules for how much of a distance is necessary between motorcycles if you are riding with others in a pack.
If the person in front of you has a wipe-out or accident, you may be traveling too close to avoid being hurt by the results of that accident. Often this can happen without warning. Being prepared means that you might have a way to avoid the accident. If you know that you will be traveling with others of different skill levels, you may want to make sure that you keep safe distances, and encourage others to do the same.
In an accident, it is very difficult to predict how the motorcycle will react. There are just too many factors to be able to determine what will happen in any given accident scenario. There are cases where drivers are ejected from their motorcycles, and the bikes take on a life of their own. Once the driver is ejected, the bike takes off in unexpected directions. Often the tires can be seen spinning madly away from the rider, and the bike can unexpectedly buck back behind in the opposite direction. Or, the bike can meander across medians, without the driver mounted onto it, to hurt others who would be unaware of what is happening.
As I said, it is important to leave safe and clear distances when riding a motorcycle. If you have been involved in an accident and someone else did not keep a safe distance you can call us at Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or email us at www.ledgerlaw.com. We are here to hear your story and discuss the merits of your situation with you.
