Whenever people see reports about motorcycle accidents some are quick to assume that the motorcyclist was at fault. Perhaps the motorcyclist was driving recklessly, they might think, or injuries only occurred because a motorcyclist wasn’t wearing a helmet, some might say. Well, while there may be some instances when those assumptions are current, there are other risks for motorcyclists on the roads of California as well, most notably other drivers.
As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes in its statistics, in one recent year alone – 2019 – over 5,000 motorcyclists died in fatal traffic collisions in America. While there is much that motorcyclists can do to protect themselves – such as learning to ride a motorcycle correctly, doing so free from intoxication and wearing a helmet and other protective gear – there is little they can do about the situational awareness, or lack thereof, that other drivers have toward motorcyclists on the roads.
Motorcycles are, obviously, smaller than most other vehicles on the road. That makes them harder to see sometimes, but other drivers have a duty to be aware of all other vehicles on the road, including motorcycles. Too many motorcycle accidents are caused by drivers who pull out in front of motorcycles, side-swipe motorcycles or plow into the back of motorcycles.
Assessing your options
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident through no fault of your own, you may be able to pursue a personal injury lawsuit to attempt to seek financial compensation. It is not fair to see others shifting the blame to motorcyclists in these situations if another driver was negligent or reckless. For more information about how we attempt to help California residents with these types of cases, please visit the motorcycle accident overview section of our law firm’s website.