The Difference A Motorcycle Makes
Brian O Sutter
Motorcycle Crash
“Start seeing motorcycles.” That’s the advice you can find on any number of bumper stickers, usually on cars whose owner also rides a motorcycle. And this advice is not given lightly – riding a motorcycle carries many risks beyond those which any driver takes when he or she enters traffic.Additional Risks
When you’re not the one on the motorcycle, the single biggest problem you’ll have with them is quite simply their visibility. Most cars, busses, trucks, and other road vehicles are designed to be wide enough to fit two to three people side-by-side, and so no matter how small a compact or sports car may be, you can be certain that they will take up a specific amount of the road. Motorcycles, however, are much smaller than any car, and that makes them harder to see around corners and in blind spots.
Another risk inherent to the nature of a motorcycle is lower stability. With only two tires on the road instead of four, road hazards such as rain and blowing sand have a much greater effect on motorcycles than they do on four-wheeled vehicles. The pothole you drive over every day on your way to work is probably nothing more than an annoyance and maybe a source of wear on your suspension when you’re in your car, but if it’s big enough it may cause a motorcyclist to swerve or lose control.
The motorcyclist’s skill level is yet another point of concern. Motorcycle controls are significantly different to those of a car or truck, and steering requires you to shift your weight, a skill which is useless in a four-wheeled vehicle. Considering everything they have to learn to earn a motorcycle driver’s license, it’s no surprise that a disproportionate number of motorcycle accidents involve novice riders.
Additional Damages
Modern automobiles are built with innumerable safety features. The most obvious two are the seatbelt and the airbag packed into your steering wheel and in the space above your glove compartment, but there are a lot more features hidden in the chassis and under the hood.
For instance, anti-lock brakes will prevent you from skidding out by rapidly pumping the brake for you on a slippery surface, and most modern chassis are built with crumple zones and steel beams that work together to redirect the force of a collision away from the passenger compartment. Even those weird headrests on your seat that seem like they’re a little too far back to be comfortable are actually there to prevent whiplash.
Motorcycles, however, don’t have the space for such safety systems. A seatbelt is counterproductive since you don’t want to be attached to your bike if it flips or skids. The front end of a motorcycle is too small to pack an airbag and it won’t be useful when you’re thrown clear anyhow. Anti-lock brakes exist for bikes, but they’re only now becoming standard features. And as for whiplash, most motorcycle models don’t have seats that reach a rider’s lower back, let alone his or her head.
Because of the nature of their chosen vehicle, motorcyclists are often sent flying across the road or into solid objects if they end up in an accident. A good helmet can help the situation by protecting the head, but there’s only so much they can do, plus in most states (including Florida) helmets are only mandatory for riders under the ages of 17 or 20. As such, a motorcyclist is far more likely to receive a serious injury from a collision than anyone in a car or truck.
For these reasons, we at All Injuries Law Firm, P.A., are proud to offer our services to motorcyclists in need of legal consultation and representation. You put your lives and your health on the line so you can experience the thrill of speed and the connection with the road, and if you are injured and your bike damaged, we know you’ll want to get back in the saddle as soon as you can to experience that rush once more. If you live in southwest Florida near Fort Meyers or Port Charlotte, or if you experienced an accident here, contact our offices and let us know how we can help you get just compensation for your personal injury.