Riding a motorcycle can be exhilarating. Unfortunately, it can also be deadly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that, when compared to other vehicles on the road, individuals on motorcycles are 27 times more likely to wind up in a fatal accident. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, having a Pennsylvania motorcycle accident lawyer on your side can make all the difference in your life.
Top Pennsylvania Motorcycle Accident Causes
There are a few factors involved for the higher incidence of motorcycle accidents compared to other vehicles. These include:
- Motorcycles have a smaller footprint than other road vehicles, often getting stuck in a driver’s blind spot, making them harder for other drivers to see.
- Many regular vehicle drivers are guilty of miscalculating a motorcycle’s travel rate and inadvertently collide with the motorcycle while turning or changing lanes.
- Often, motorcycle riders are inexperienced and over-confident, which leads to higher speeds and less efficient handling.
- Road hazards can cause motorcyclists to lose control, more so than automobile drivers.
- Lane splitting reduces maneuverability space and makes it more likely that an automobile will collide with the motorcyclist.
There are a few situations in which motorcycle accidents are more common, and can be avoided with some skill and attention.
- Driver turns left in front of you. To avoid this situation, pay careful attention to drivers around you and anticipate that they will turn in front of you. Find an out. Adjust your speed and position in the road to avoid a collision.
- Hitting Gravel or Other Hazard on a Blind Curve. Maintaining a safe speed at all times is critical to avoiding these types of accidents. Give yourself ample time to assess and react to changing road conditions.
- Automobile Driver Changes Lanes Into You. Always maintain awareness of where a driver’s blind spots may be and stay out of them. Attempt to gain eye contact with auto drivers in their mirrors, especially if you are keeping pace with them.
What Are Some of the Most Common Motorcycle Injuries in Pennsylvania?
Motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injury because they do not have the protective metal structure and airbags that cars have. This means that motorcyclists are far more prone to serious injuries during an accident. Some of the most common injury types to riders that occur in Pennsylvania include:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries
- Brain injuries
- Amputations
- Road Burns
- Scarring
- Lacerations
- Fractures
Brain and head injuries happen to riders even when they wear helmets and other proper riding equipment. Even worse, these injuries do not always reveal themselves immediately, and that can cause problems for a rider dealing with medical insurance and attempting to get assistance.
If you have been in a motorcycle accident, your best move is to contact the motorcycle accident attorneys at Louis P. Lombardi II & Associates today.