Throughout these warm summer months in New York, motorcycle riders like to ride as much as they can while it is nice enough to do so. It is common to see many motorcycles on the roads each day. They can be a fun way to get around the city or to enjoy a long ride outside the city. However, part of what makes riding a motorcycle both enjoyable and practical also can make them dangerous for the riders if they are involved in a motorcycle accident.
Motorcycles offer very little protection between the rider and the ground. When they are involved in accidents it is likely that the rider will suffer significant injuries. These injuries can be very devastating for the rider and prevent them from doing many of the activities they were accustomed to doing prior to the accident. Some of the injuries will be permanent as well and people will be dealing with the injuries for the rest of their lives.
Causes of motorcycle accidents
Motorcycle accidents happen in a variety of ways, but many are caused by other drivers who may not be paying attention to motorcycles or taking the extra time to ensure there are not motorcycles before taking certain actions. Motorcycle accidents can occur in a variety of ways, but some are more common than others. Some common ways other vehicles cause motorcycle accidents are:
- Left hand turns in front of motorcycle – other vehicles on the road may only look for other cars and not see the smaller motorcycle when taking a left turn or may misjudge the speed of the motorcycle.
- Changing lanes – when changing lanes drivers are typically looking for other larger vehicles. They may not see a motorcycle in their blind spot and change lanes into them.
- Rear ending – this can occur like it occurs for any other vehicle, but rear ending a motorcycle can be much more dangerous than rear ending another car.
- Opening a car door – When getting into or out of a car, drivers may make sure other cars are not coming, but miss a motorcycle and rider could hit it.
Many motorcycle accidents that occur in New York would not occur if other drivers were paying attention for motorcyclists. When other drivers cause accidents, they may be liable for compensating the injured rider. This compensation can pay for the medical bills, lost income and other damages the rider suffers as a result of the crash. Experienced attorneys understand how important the compensation can be as people recover and may be a useful resource.