There’s no shortage of Turlock residents who enjoy pulling a motorcycle out of the driveway for a cruise. There’s even an annual antique motorcycle swap meet that’s been started locally.
Bikers criss-cross Stanislaus County every day and yet, despite the numbers, the biggest reason motorcycles get into accidents is still that other drivers claim they can’t see bikes on the road.
Increased Risk of an Accident
If you’re an experienced Turlock motorcyclist, you already know you have to watch what the other driver is doing almost as much as you pay attention to your own bike. Unfortunately, when you share the roads with bigger vehicles, you are at much more risk for a serious accident. Any careless motorist can put you in a bad spot and send you to the pavement. You can wake up with serious injuries. The crash could even prove fatal.Traffic Risks to Motorcyclists
According to the National Highway Safety Administration, each year around 5,000 motorcyclists die in crashes in the U.S. That number makes up 15% of all vehicle fatalities. The visibility factor leads to many unavoidable crashes on the road. Here are just a few of the most common dangerous situations: Tunnel Vision: This happens to car and truck drivers when they “look” right at a motorcycle and still pull out in front of them. There’s actual science to this phenomena and it’s usually caused by a habit of drivers to look for other cars and trucks and not for smaller vehicles like motorcycles, bikes, scooters, and even pedestrians. Lane Splitting: In California, it’s legal to ride between the rows of cars on a freeway or multi-lane highway. However, there are significant risks if a passenger opens a door or closes the space between the vehicles. Dooring: This happens when someone opens their car door in the path of a motorcycle causing a collision. This occurs not only in a lane-splitting situation but also along a row of parked cars. Rear-End: One of the deadliest accidents for a motorcyclist is when he or she is rear-ended by a much larger and heavier vehicle. The rider is instantly ejected from their bike and often hits a car in front of them before falling to the pavement. Blind-Spots: Because of the size of motorcycles, they fit more easily in a car or truck’s blind spot creating the risk of serious injury. Fatalities: Sometimes motorcycle accident victims succumb to their injuries leaving the family to grieve and to deal with the financial losses.Common Motorcycle Injuries
The perfect ride can abruptly end with one bad decision behind the wheel. You can be forced into an accident because someone else didn’t bother to take a second glance. The injuries can have a devastating effect on any part of the body and even leave you afraid to get back on your bike for a while. Possible Injuries- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Severe Concussions
- Wrist Fractures
- Broken Arms/Legs
- Chest Compressions
- Internal Injuries/Bleeding
- Severe Road Rash
What Can be Claimed in a Motorcycle Accident
You and your family are protected by certain rights in the aftermath of a terrible accident. California law requires that when someone injures another person through their negligence, they must pay for up to 100% of the monetary damages resulting from the accident. Even if you were partially at fault, the other driver’s insurance can still be required to pay for a percentage of the damages. Some of the damages you can seek are the direct result of costs to you while others are for indirect losses like emotional injury and pain and suffering. The most common of these suffered by victims:- Medical Bills
- EMS/Ambulance Fees
- Rehabilitation Bills
- Transportation to Treatment
- Property Damage
- Lost Time from Work
- Reduction of Future Wages from Disability
- Permanent Disability
- Pain and Suffering
- Mental/Emotional Anguish
- Loss of Companionship/Consortium
- Wrongful Death
