MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENTS
I ride. So I can tell you that New York motorcycle accidents are especially dangerous. Motorcycles are fast and powerful and do not offer the protective "cage" afforded to the occupants of cars, trucks and buses.
There are millions of injuries and thousands of deaths annually due to motor vehicles:
car, truck,
bus and
motorcycle accidents. Motorcycle safety courses teach riders to be alert and pay attention ahead - down the road. At night riders use the headlights of cars ahead of them to see potential dangers.
You can't ride safely and not be alert. Did you know: three-quarter (3/4) of motorcycle accidents are due to collisions with other vehicles? That said, the main reason for New York and Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx motorcycle accidents is the inattention of other drivers. Driver distractions take many forms: cell phones, eating while at the wheel, fiddling with the stereo or portable music player, operating a navigation or global positioning system, using a hand-held device or computer, and even reading or putting on make-up while driving. Likewise conversations with passengers in a car can take the driver's mind off the road.
According to studies, "driver inattention" as a cause of motorcycle accidents and injuries
is followed by car, bus and truck drivers' failure to yield the right of way, and then by following too closely. Drivers shut in a closed vehicle may have the windows up, the radio on, may be talking on a cell phone or eve, crazy as it may sound, have headphones over or earphones in both ears. That truck driver may not hear the bike; he or she may not see it.
The most common type of motorcycle versus another vehicle accident is the vehicle making a left turn in front of a motorcycle.
If the bike doesn't have room to stop, the rider can do only one of two things: put down the bike on the ground, or broadside the other vehicle, which will throw the rider from the bike and through the air and maybe into traffic or a fixed object. Very dangerous.
Other common types of accidents are:
- Another vehicle right-turning from the center lane and not seeing a motorcycle approaching on its right side;
- Lane changes by cars or buses or trucks that don't signal and don't look;
- Vehicles striking motorcycles in the rear (rear-end collision);
- Cars or trucks forcing motorcycles over into a concrete barrier, or median, or guard rail; and,
- Vehicles running a red light or stop sign without noticing the motorcycle.
Motorcycle Accident Injuries
There are few "small" injuries when a motorcycle collides with another vehicle. Motorcycle accidents tend to result in
catastrophic injuries because of the size and weight difference between a motorcycle and the other motor vehicle. Motorcycle accidents frequently result in
wrongful death. To read about two avoidable New York State deaths, where a rider with his wife onboard bounced his
motorcycle off a train, leaving behind five children, click the link to see my blog post. A second avoidable motorcycle death, where an off-duty New York City police officer riding a
motorcycle blew a curve and struck a guardrail on Queens County's Cross Island Parkway, is described in another of my blog posts.
Bike operators may also suffer a multitude of other hurts, such as:
For more tips about motorcycle accidents and injuries, download my
free report.
Motorcycle Safety
As I've said, motorcycle accidents tend to lead to serious personal injury and death because the motorcycle offers no crash protection. For instance, approximately 80% of reported motorcycle crashes result in injury or
death;
automobile accidents tend to lead to death only about 20% of the time.
A car, truck or bus weighs more and is larger than a motorcycle. They have door beams and roofs to provide protection from rollovers or crashes. Cars and trucks have airbags to lessen the effect of a crash, and lap and shoulder belts to keep passengers from bouncing around the insides of their vehicles. Windshield wipers and washers help with visibility in bad weather - a motorcyclist riding in the rain or snow may have impaired vision.
Cars, trucks and buses have four or more tires, giving them greater stability and, because of their size, they tend to be more visible to other traffic. What a motorcycle gives up in weight, bulk, and other crashworthiness characteristics is somewhat offset by its agility, maneuverability, ability to stop quickly, and ability to swerve quickly when necessary.
Don't ride in next to a car's side mirror, its "blind spot." Riders have to scan ahead and anticipate other vehicles' actions. For example, cars exiting driveways may not see you. Motorcyclists must be extra careful in bad weather, on slippery surfaces - such as metal road plates - or when approaching obstacles on the roadway.
What are the causes of motorcycle accidents where the rider's at fault? Typically, lack of basic riding experience and skills, rider's failure to handle a powerful motorcycle, failure of a rider to understand that bikes can be unstable at slow speeds, refusal to wear protective gear (proper clothing and eye protection increase riding comfort and can reduce the occurrence of serious personal injury in the event of a crash), and failure to drive defensively.
Motorcycle accident prevention requires care and specific braking and cornering skills. Motorcycles carry separate hand-operated controls for the front and rear brakes. The rider squeezes a lever to initiate braking; this requires the rider to gauge how much pressure to apply to - or how hard to squeeze - each lever to slow down the vehicle. Hit the brakes on a motorcycle too hard and you go down on the bike, and get hurt. Why? Because hitting the brakes too hard locks the wheels, causing the bike to lose stability and drop.
About 50% fatal single-vehicle motorcycle crashes involve drinking and riding. Operating a motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol limits an operator's ability to ride safely.
A rider should attend a motorcycle safety to learn how to safely and skillfully operate a motorcycle and avoid an accident. For more information, contact the
Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
Wear Correct Gear for Protection Against Injury
Thick, protective garb not only provides comfort against the elements, but also may be all there is between you and the pavement in the event of an accident.
Studies show that the head, arms and legs are most often hurt in a motorcycle crash. Protective clothing and equipment serve a threefold purpose for motorcyclists: comfort and protection from the elements; some measure of injury protection; and through use of color or reflective material, a means for other motorists to see the motorcyclist and prevent an accident.
Helmet: This is the most important piece of equipment. In New York State, use of a helmet is required. Passengers should also wear a helmet. Safety helmets save lives by absorbing the impact of head injury in the event your motorcycle goes down. Make sure your helmet fits comfortably and snugly, and is fastened while you ride.
In choosing a helmet, look for the D.O.T. (Department of Transportation) label on the helmet. The D.O.T. label on helmets is the manufacturer's certification that the helmet conforms to Federal law. Some riders prefer the smallest helmet, which leaves the ears exposed. A fullback helmet covers the head and jaw and offers maximum protection against face and jaw injury in the event of an accident.
A quiz: Q: What do we call riders who don't wear helmets? A: Organ donors.
For detailed information about the importance of wearing a D.O.T.-approved helmet, see my blog posts:
Wearing a Helmet Can Save Your Life and Prevent Serious Injury, Such as Brain Damage, or the
Ten Things You Should Know about Laws Requiring Helmeted Motorcycle Riders - information which I believe is so important that I wrote it in five parts:
- Part 1 of 5 parts (1. Q: Do helmets work? 2. Q: Is there a downside to wearing a helmet?);
- Part 2 of 5 parts (3. Q: Have helmet laws been around for a long time? 4. Q: Do helmet laws work?);
- Part 3 of 5 parts (5. Q: What effect do motorcycle helmet laws have on death and injury statistics? 6. Q: Are there other benefits from requiring motorcycle riders to wear helmets?);
- Part 4 of 5 parts (7. Q: Do helmet laws affect the cost of health care? 8. Q: How effective are helmet laws that only apply to young motorcycle riders?);
- Part 5 of 5 parts (9. Q: How does the Court system handle legal challenges to helmet laws? 10. Q: If I take a special motorcycle safety training course do I still have to wear a helmet?).
Eye Protection: Goggles or a face shield are necessary to protect eyes against dirt, insects, and/or rocks - even at night. The wind can cause the eyes to tear and blur vision.
Jackets and Pants: Do not ride in shorts. Long pants reduce the possibility of suffering a leg burn injury on a hot exhaust pipe. Trousers should not be baggy at the bottom to getting tangled in the chain. Wear long-sleeved jackets.
Gloves: Gloves should permit a firm grip on the controls. Leather gloves are excellent, as are special fabric gloves with leather palms and grip strips on the fingers. Gauntlet-type gloves keep wind out of the rider's sleeves.
Footwear: Leather boots are best. Durable athletic shoes that cover the ankles are a good second choice. Sandals, sneakers, and similar footwear should not be used since they provide little protection from abrasion or a crushing impact. Don't even THINK of wearing little flippy-flops. Beware of synthetic soles that can melt on a hot exhaust pipe. Avoid dangling laces that can get caught.
For more information, see the
chart of safety rules published on my blog site.
Keep Your Bike Legal and Yourself Safe
Motorcycles require more skill and coordination to operate than cars. It is estimated that 33% of riders killed in crashes with cars, trucks or buses, are not licensed or just have an automobile driver's license without license to operate a bike. By riding without a motorcycle license, riders are bypassing the only method they and state licensing agencies have to ensure they have the knowledge and skill needed to safely and skillfully operate a motorcycle.
Select a motorcycle that fits. A motorcyclist should be able to touch the ground with both feet when astride the vehicle. If you will be carrying a passenger, make sure the motorcycle you select has a passenger seat as well as footrests (footpegs) for the passenger.
Check the location of the controls. Make sure you can reach and operate them easily and comfort
Functional Requirements: Buy the power you need, but only as much as you can handle safely. Large motorcycles are heavy, and you must be strong enough to push it, or pick it up if it falls over. But smaller bikes (e.g., a 125cc machine) may not have the speed, performance and ride you'll need if you plan to travel long distances.
Consider the primary use of your bike. Don't buy a "trail" bike for highway use. Similarly, don't buy a "highway" bike if most of your riding will be off-road. Some motorcycles are built especially for trail use, with special tires and suspension. Other motorcycles have special characteristics for highway use, such as tires designed to grip pavement, and more powerful braking systems. If you have dual requirements, combination cycles are available that make a compromise between road and trail riding.
For more information, read my blog post,
More Motorcycle Riding Rules for Accident Avoidance.
Make Sure You're Protected If You Have a Motorcycle Accident.
New York State No-Fault motor vehicle insurance does NOT apply to motorcycles, so getting bills paid can be difficult for riders with no heath insurance. Health insurance is your best way to get the medical care and treatment that a motorcycle accident victim needs. Otherwise, we have to bring a claim against the person whose negligence caused your motorcycle accident and injury, and that can take a long time, and might mean that you can't get necessary medical treatment sooner rather than later.
Another good idea is carrying collision damage coverage on your bike, especially if you can't afford to replace it if it's lost in a fender bender. This protection is not mandatory, so you must read your motorcycle insurance policy to see if you have it.
Carry higher than basic limits on your liability insurance and make sure you have Supplemental Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Insurance Coverage. This is important, anyway, if you own a home or have substantial assets. Insurance may seem expensive, until you need it.
Underinsured motorist coverage is insurance you can purchase for the situations where the other vehicle does not have enough insurance coverage to adequately compensate you. For instance, if you're hurt by another driver who has the New York State minimum insurance coverage limits of $25,000, you might not be adequately compensated if you suffer a serious personal injury. If you carry $50,000 in underinsurance coverage, and the other car has $25,000, you would have $25,000 in additional coverage available to you.
Uninsured motorist coverage works when the other car does not have any insurance. For example: a stolen car, a hit-and-run, or, insurance premiums just not paid. Your own insurance company will pay you for injuries resulting from the motorcycle accident, up to your uninsured motorist limits.
In some cases, this uninsured/underinsured coverage may be available from a family car or truck. An experienced New York (Brooklyn, Queens or Bronx) personal injury attorney can review your insurance policies and help you secure maximum coverage and compensation for your injuries.
In any event, buy the most uninsured/underinsured insurance that you can afford.
Always, always, always, report your motorcycle accident to your insurance company. If you fail to report an accident, you may lose your right to insurance coverage for your accident.
Finally, there are strict time limitations for initiating motorcycle accident claims in New York. Miss a deadline, and your claim might be lost forever. If you or a loved one is hurt in a motorcycle accident, don't try to go it alone. Call an experienced personal injury attorney.
For your serious personal injury, you need legal representation from a qualified personal injury attorney.
Contact us for your free consultation.
Law Offices of Gary E. Rosenberg, P.C.
(718) 520-8787
Serving: New York City, including the Boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Bronx.