For motorcycle enthusiasts of all ages, riding doesn’t get any better than in California. Whether you are a week-end pleasure rider or a gas conscience daily commuter, California’s the place to be! With its temperate climate and breathtaking scenery, it’s not hard to believe that there are over 1.3 million licensed motorcyclists in the state – and that’s not including all the tourists who flock from neighboring states to cruise the highways!
From the quiet and peaceful mountains to the bustling and busy ocean side cities, California has a road custom made for every bike and every biker. But bikers beware! Along with all that sun and fun comes the risk of tragedy. Unfortunately, most statistics show that there is a disproportionate rate of collisions compared to the number of riders and to other traffic for motorcyclists. In fact, motorcyclists account for almost 10% of all fatalities statewide although they account for only about 2% of all vehicles registered. The NHTSA data indicates that for the same per-mile exposure, motorcyclists are almost 28 times more likely to die than occupants of other vehicles. The statistics are staggering and frightening. To make matters worse, the cause of accidents involving motorcycles is frequently NOT the fault of the motorcyclist. Too often, drivers that are not motorcycle enthusiasts themselves simply pay no attention to bikers. Other motorists often fail to detect the presence of the motorcycle in traffic until it is too late. People are accustomed to looking for other cars and trucks on the roadways, but fail to acknowledge the presence of motorcycles.
In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle is at fault for violating the motorcycle right-of-way about two-thirds of the time. The most common violation involves a vehicle turning left into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. That means that even if you are operating your motorcycle safely and obeying all the traffic regulations, you still stand a good chance of being involved in an accident. To compound the situation, what would otherwise be minor traffic violations (speeding, tailgating, unsafe turns) can result in fatal accidents when they produce a collision with a motorcycle.
Additionally, seemingly harmless driver error (inattention, distraction, aggressive driving) can also lead to horrific consequences when a motorcycle is involved. What makes motorcycle accidents so disturbing, are the injuries suffered. Statistics tell us that 96% of single vehicle accidents and 98% of multiple vehicle accidents result in some injury to the rider, with more than 45% resulting in more than a minor injury. While safety equipment has been shown to minimize the risk or the severity of injuries, it cannot prevent them altogether.
So what does all this mean if YOU have been the victim of a motorcycle accident? It means that there is a good likelihood that the other driver was at least partially at fault and that you are potentially entitled to recover damages for negligence. Motorcycle injuries can be not only emotionally and physically devastating, but costly as well. Negligence is a complex and complicated area of the law. If you believe that you have been the victim of someone else’s negligence, protect your rights by calling Toll Free 800-300-0001.
