With the first day of summer just around the corner, the weather in Utah is heating up and the days are longer. It is an ideal time to take a motorcycle out for a ride, but motorcyclists aren’t the only drivers turning up in greater number with the transition to warmer weather. Passenger vehicles also drive more frequently during the summer months. That means extra traffic and an increased likelihood of accidents.
Motorcycle accidents are far different from accidents involving only cars. Motorcycles are smaller and less visible than cars and lack a hard exterior body for protection. Therefore, the chance of serious injury to a motorcyclist involved in a collision is great. The federal government estimates that per mile traveled in 2013, the number of deaths on motorcycles was over 26 times the number in cars.
Additionally, motorcycles are uniquely susceptible to dangers from roadway defects or poorly maintained roadways caused by lacking roadway maintenance. Potholes and other roadway defects can be significantly more dangerous to a motorcyclist than to other drivers.
Although many motorcycle riders take necessary measures to protect their own safety on the road, including wearing helmets and obeying traffic laws, motorcycles cannot stay safe without the help of other motorists on the road. Drivers have a responsibility to pay attention to motorcyclists and recognize that motorcyclists have an equal right to the road.
When the driver of a vehicle has failed to pay attention and causes serious injury to a motorcyclist, the injured motorcycle rider may be entitled to recover for their injuries. Often, the best course of action is to contact an experienced injury lawyer who can help the injured motorcyclist recover their medical expenses, lost wages, and for the pain endured as a result of an accident.