Understanding the Top Ways to Prevent Motorcycle Accidents
In Florida, motorcycles are incredibly common because of the culture and temperate climate. Naturally, since motorcycle drivers are particularly susceptible to injuries resulting from traffic-related accidents, it is particularly important that they understand the top ways to prevent motorcycle accidents.
In Daytona Beach, FL, and Palm Coast, FL, the family-operated law firm of Chanfrau & Chanfrau specializes in personal injury claims, including motorcycle accidents. Our motorcycle accident lawyers, William Chanfrau, Sr., William Chanfrau, Jr., and Kelly Chanfrau, offer a free consultation to any person who has been injured as a result of any type of vehicle accident. Ride and have fun but be sure to be aware of how to protect yourself.
Fighting for Accident Victims
The legal team at Chanfrau & Chanfrau understands that motorcycle accident fatalities are unfortunately more common in Florida than nearly every other state in any given year. There are various reasons for this, but there are also several simple things that motorcycle drivers can do to avoid becoming a part of these unfortunate statistics.
Common Reasons for Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents occur for a wide variety of reasons, including:
- Motorcycle defects
- Speeding
- Dangerous road conditions
- Car doors being suddenly opened in the path of a motorcycle rider
- So-called “lane-splitting,” or driving in between two lanes of traffic, which is illegal in Florida
- Driving under the influence
- Driving too closely to the vehicle in front of the motorcycle driver
- Various types of carelessness on behalf of an automobile driver, such as unsafe lane changes, right-of-way errors, failure to pay attention to traffic behind the driver, and distracted drivers
How to Prevent Motorcycle Accidents
Fortunately, there are a number of precautionary steps that motorcycle riders can use to prevent becoming involved in an accident. This is extremely important due to a motorcycle driver’s heightened susceptibility to injury. These measures include:
- Maintain your motorcycle in peak operating shape.
- Drive at or below the posted speed limit. This is particularly important during inclement weather, which is quite common in Florida. Various studies have consistently shown that driving faster decreases drive time by only an exceedingly small amount.
- Avoid driving in an automobile’s blind spot and/or door zones. Experienced motorcycle drivers understand that they have to be particularly vigilant in order to compensate for automobiles drivers’ carelessness.
- Wear appropriate safety gear. For example, although many states require approved headgear when driving a motorcycle, some states do not. In Florida, only drivers under the age of 21 are required to wear headgear (motorcycle drivers over the age of 21 may drive without headgear if they can show at least a $10,000 medical insurance policy). Nonetheless, experienced motorcycle drivers wear appropriate headgear regardless of the law. Full protective body protection is similarly important to prevent so-called “road-rash.”
Contact Us
If you have been injured as a result of a motorcycle-related accident, or any other type of accident, call Chanfrau & Chanfrau at (866) 610-0653. We offer free consultations at our Daytona Beach and Palm Coast offices and will sit down with you to help you sort out your various options and suggest appropriate action.