Most Preventable Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle summer is upon us, and as you prepare to head to Myrtle Beach, you can hear the warnings of your worry wart relatives piercing through the hype with which you choose to surround yourself.  You reassure your relatives that riding a motorcycle is at least as safe as driving a car.  They counter that this is only true if you do not get into an accident.  They have a point that the chances of emerging from a traffic accident collision without serious injury are better if you were in a car as opposed to on a motorcycle.  Meanwhile, you can tell them all the ways that you use common sense when riding a motorcycle.  Wearing a helmet might keep you alive in a collision, but it usually will not prevent you from crashing.  Avoiding other common hazards does, however, reduce your risk of accidents.  If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact a Columbia motorcycle accident lawyer.

Distracted Driving

Cell phones are so expensive that few of us would dare to take them out of our pockets during a motorcycle ride, lest we drop them on the road while stopped at a red light and checking how many people have liked the most recent motorcycle selfie that we posted.  Even if your cell phone is safely zipped into the pocket of your motorcycle jacket for the duration of your ride, there are still plenty of other distractions vying for your attention.  The dirt and dust that fly in your face when you don’t wear a helmet are distracting, and so is conversation with nearby motorcyclists.

Drug or Alcohol Impairment

Alcohol plays a role in about a third of fatality collisions nationwide, and South Carolina has one of the highest rates of drunk driving in the country.  Celebratory events like Motorcycle Week, where driving is half the fun and drinking is the other half, see an increase in impaired driving incidents.  Motorcyclists are not more likely than the operators of other kinds of vehicles to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but riding a motorcycle while drunk is arguably even more dangerous than driving a car while drunk, if only because there is almost no such thing as a minor motorcycle accident.

Road Hazards Related to Weather

Sunshine usually rules the day during summer, but at other times of the year, South Carolina’s roads can be downright icky.  It is best to postpone your motorcycle ride when the roads are wet, muddy, or icy; your other vehicle is better equipped to handle bad weather.

Malfunctioning Motorcycle Parts

If a tire, brake, or other motorcycle part goes kaput when you are driving, it can easily lead to a collision.  If the malfunction resulted from a manufacturer’s defect in the part of the bike, product liability laws protect you.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you pursue a motorcycle accident claim.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Source:

highways.dot.gov/turner-fairbank-highway-research-center