How to Survive a Motorcycle Crash | 2022 Update

Survive a Motorcycle Crash

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

January 15, 2023

In the event of a Motorcycle Accident, How to Protect Your Life.

A motorcycle accident can cause serious injuries that affect your life in a variety of ways. Learning how to drive the open road safely may help you avoid significant damage and possibly save your life.

You deserve to get to your destination safely, whether you ride for enjoyment or as your primary source of transportation. The following suggestions and tactics may assist you in avoiding some types of injury on the road.

Wear Motorcycle Riding Gear to Stay Safe

The wide road’s freedom is what puts you in danger in the case of an accident. When you hit the hard pavement, you might get road rash, fractured bones, and other catastrophic injuries. According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, the clothing you select to wear is critical to surviving an accident. The foundation encourages the use of the following forms of safety equipment:

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Motorcycle Eyewear and Helmets

Helmet rules differ based on the state where you ride. Motorcyclists aged 21 and over are permitted to ride without a helmet in Colorado if they have a medical insurance policy worth at least $10,000. Riders under the age of 21 are required to wear a helmet.

Wearing a helmet is a personal decision that is legally protected—as long as you complete the conditions. Wearing a helmet decreases the chance of brain damage by 69 percent and the risk of mortality by 37 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A fatal event that leads you to lose control of your bike, with or without a helmet might still result in some form of brain damage. Wearing a helmet may considerably lessen that danger.

Motorcyclists in Colorado are also required by law to wear protective eyewear. Eyewear protects operators against things entering their eyes and impeding their vision, such as insects or dirt.

Motorcycle Clothing

What you wear on your bike ride can make a difference in the event of a collision. A rider who wears shorts on a hot summer day runs the risk of getting serious road rash abrasions on their legs. Protective outerwear, such as leather, can help to reduce the amount of trauma to your skin when you hit the road.

Researchers continue to research and develop products to protect motorcyclists. The European Union now has elbow, knee, shoulder, and spinal column armor testing standards. Riders must rely on the toughness of full-body leather for their motorcycle adventures until this type of product is available.

These are just a few examples of the primary types of equipment that can make your ride safer. An accident can happen in a split second, changing your life forever, from short trips around town to long road trips with friends. Your injuries may save you from major injuries and even death if you use the proper protective gear.

Learn to Ride a Motorcycle Defensively

Motorcycles and other cars must share the road. Learning to drive defensively—and responsibly—is critical for everyone’s safety. Motorcyclists may not have enough time to respond if a driver makes a rapid maneuver.

You have a higher chance of avoiding an accident if you use the following safety procedures while riding your motorcycle:

Keep to your lane.

Never try to pass another car in the same lane.

Be patient. Your motorcycle may fit between two lanes of stopped traffic, but riding between them is risky and illegal.

Maintain a two-to-one ratio. In a single lane, motorcycles must travel no more than two abreast.

Keep your motorcycle under control. Drag racing and other high-speed events are illegal, as are stunt movements like wheelies.

Take care while passing on the right. Under some circumstances, such as turning left, the legislation may enable cars to pass on the right. When turning near other motorists, always use your best judgment and use extreme caution.

Adjusting their mirrors is one measure that drivers may do to assist avoid a major motorcycle collision. Nearly 40% of the area surrounding a car has blind spots, making motorcyclists harder to see.

Exercising patience. Motorists must also be patient and take a second check for motorcycles before entering a roadway.

Giving up the right of way. At junctions, motorists must surrender the right-of-way to motorcyclists. Failure to do so is not only a traffic offense, but it may also cause significant injury to the motorcycle operator and passenger.

Drivers and motorists can share the road and get to their destinations safely if they work together.

Report Dangerous Driving Practices

Erratic driver conduct is an indication that something is amiss. Reporting unsafe activity is critical to protecting yourself and other drivers from injury.

Aside from a suspected physical condition, the following behaviors may explain the conduct of another driver:

Drunk driving occurs when the driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is.08 percent or above.

Distracted driving

The motorist is texting, eating, or doing anything else that pulls his or her attention away from the road.

Aggressive driving: The motorist tailgates other cars or runs red lights on purpose.

Drowsy driving occurs when a driver is drowsy due to a long work shift or an untreated sleeping issue.

If you see a motorist weaving in and out of traffic, notify the offender as soon as you can safely do so. You may save your own life and the lives of other motorists, including the driver in the issue.

Injuries Caused by Serious Motorcycle Accidents

A major motorcycle accident is possible regardless of how many safety precautions you take. A single distracted, drunk, or aggressive driver’s deadly acts might change your life forever.

A motorcycle collision may result in a variety of significant injuries, including the following:

TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) (TBI)

This sort of damage affects normal brain function. It has the potential to transform your loved one from someone you used to laugh with into someone prone to violent outbursts. Caring for a loved one with a serious traumatic brain injury is both emotionally and financially taxing. Putting your loved one in a skilled care facility may be your only alternative, and it might cost you up to $8,000 per month.

Injury to the Spine

A spinal cord injury has an impact on both movement and sensation. Patients with spinal cord injuries may need a wheelchair or power chair for movement, as well as costly house renovations to accommodate the chair. Along with accessible transportation, these goods must be replaced over time. The entire expenses of such an accident may amount to millions of dollars throughout a patient’s life.

Bone Fractures

A broken leg, arm, or any other bone might need a lengthy rehabilitation period. Some fractured bones need surgery, rehabilitation, and physical therapy. Broken limbs may need the aid of others for everyday duties such as washing.

Internal Wounds

Internal injuries are extremely harmful since the majority of them show no indications or symptoms. Internal bleeding, for example, may harm organs and lead to death if left untreated. Internal injuries are why it is critical to get medical assistance as soon as possible after a motorcycle accident. Seeking treatment may save your life, and it may also result in medical documents that are useful in a potential legal lawsuit.

Wrongful Death and Personal Injury

Civil cases are distinct from criminal proceedings in that criminal cases seek punishment. A motorcycle accident lawyer seeks financial compensation for damages caused by the plaintiff’s carelessness in a civil proceeding.

In both a personal injury and wrongful death lawsuit, the procedure normally begins with the defendant’s insurance company. A motorcycle accident lawyer can help you negotiate compensation. While the majority of civil lawsuits are settled out of court, some do go to trial. There is no certainty of compensation with either a claim or a lawsuit.

Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer knowledgeable about motorcycle accident cases may free up your time to concentrate on your rehabilitation. Insurance companies are often pushy when dealing with accident victims, and one may attempt to persuade you into taking less than you deserve.

During this tough moment, their aggressiveness has no place in your life. This is particularly true if you are bereaved of a close loved one. It is not appropriate for you to make such a significant choice alone in your time of grief.

Motorcycle accident attorneys also represent wrongful death clients who have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another motorist. Consider hiring a lawyer immediately to safeguard your best interests going forward.

A Motorcycle Accident Attorney Can Assist You

Motorcycle accident attorneys handle this kind of law to assist accident victims. Many motorcycle accident attorneys are riders themselves, and they appreciate how risky drivers need additional vigilance.

A motorcycle accident might keep you from returning to your job and, in some cases, from ever riding again. While protective gear is beneficial, it can only do so much to keep you safe from major damage.

When forceful insurance companies begin to contact, seeking legal assistance may put your mind at rest. Referring them to your attorney takes them off your back and places them in the hands of someone on your side.

You may assist a motorcycle accident lawyer by presenting evidence related to your accident. This may contain police reports, images, and maybe a video from the accident site, as well as contact information for witnesses. By presenting this material to your lawyer, he or she may begin to develop your compensation case.

Never attempt to bargain with an insurance provider on your own. Insurance firms are skilled at tricking accident victims into accepting less than their claims are worth. A motorcycle accident lawyer is familiar with how insurance companies work.

Implement Critical Motorcycle Safety Measures to Arrive Alive

Motorcycles may be both hazardous and thrilling. Operating a motorcycle necessitates not only a motorcycle endorsement but also the necessary skills and training. Failure to implement safety precautions and remain alert to the actions of other drivers can result in serious injury.

If you suffered serious injuries due to a negligent driver, you might be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses and other damages. Your monthly bills will not be reduced as a result of your injuries. If you are unable to work, your family may face financial difficulties.

Do not allow the worry of not being able to afford legal assistance to deter you from contacting a lawyer. Most motorcycle accident attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis, which means there is no upfront charge. They only get paid if and when they win their cases. You have nothing to lose by contacting one for a free case examination.

However, to get compensation for your losses, you must bring your claim within the applicable statute of limitations. This is usually four years from the date of your injury in Colorado. The time limitations in Colorado are longer than in most other states.

The fresher the evidence, the sooner you submit your case. Witness recollections and evidence might degrade over time. You are taking action as soon as possible to assist your lawyer in preparing the best possible case for you.

Seek the advice of a Skilled Colorado Springs Motorcycle Accident Attorney.

While there is no assurance of monetary compensation, the appropriate motorcycle accident attorney will fight tirelessly on your side. In an accident, the protective gear you wear can only give so much protection. Consider taking legal action if your injuries—or the death of a loved one—are the consequence of another driver’s irresponsible driving.

You have the right to ride your motorcycle on public roads alongside other drivers. When another driver fails to share the road, a motorcycle accident lawyer can assist you in fighting for justice. He or she can keep you up to speed on the status of your case and actively bargain with insurance providers. The notion that someone is looking out for you at this trying period in your life might help you relax.

Take all precautions necessary to avoid an accident if you ride a motorcycle. However, if one arises through no fault of your own, you should immediately contact a lawyer near you. The proper lawyer will evaluate your issue and suggest the best course of action for your case.

 

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