Bicyclists and motorcyclists both face unique hazards in traffic. The most significant hazard that they face is the negligence of other drivers. Simply stated, some other drivers do not understand how traffic laws work, even though they have a valid license. The valid license means that they are fully expected to understand how those laws work, to obey them and to keep other drivers safe and, when they do not; they may be liable for being sued for negligence.
Injuries to Bicyclists
Bicyclists, even though people generally think of these vehicles as safer than motorcycles, are at a lot of risk in traffic. Even though bicycles do have to conform to the same traffic laws as any other vehicle, and while sometimes they also have special lanes and, as any experienced bicyclist will tell you, sometimes you have to ride out in traffic and that is dangerous.
Other motorists are required to respect your rights to the road when you’re on a bicycle. Some of the most common injuries that people end up getting into involving bicycles and cars are ones that occur when drivers fail to realize that there’s a bike on their right and they crowd the bicyclist out of the lane or run them over. Another common wreck occurs when vehicles run into bicycles from behind simply because of not paying attention. Either type of accident, and many others, are oftentimes the direct result of negligence. If you have been injured while rising your bicycle, you have to contact a personal injury lawyer to protect your rights.
Injuries to Motorcyclists
An experienced motorcyclist will let you know that, far more than any danger specific to being on a motorcycle, you’re more likely to be injured by another motorist in a car. There are a couple of things that tend to cause a lot of accidents involving vehicles and motorcycles. First, the small size of motorcycles tends to make them seem like they’re moving slower than is actually the case. Second, when drivers check for vehicles, they’re looking for cars, not for motorcycles. It’s been demonstrated over and over again that people can actually look directly at something and, if they’re not expecting to see it, their brain completely disregards it. Unfortunately, this gets plenty of motorcyclists killed or seriously injured.
If you’re in an accident involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle, be sure to talk to an attorney about the matter. It may not seem obvious to you, but an attorney, given the amount of experience they have dealing with these cases, may immediately identify negligence on the part of the motorist that struck you.
Not only do bicyclists and motorcyclists have every right to the road, they also have the right to seek damages if somebody’s negligence injures them. Don’t sit back and deal with the expenses caused to you by a negligent motorist on your own. Talk to an experienced injury attorney and they very well may be able to help you prepare a lawsuit that could win you damages for what you’ve been put through. Between medical expenses, pain and suffering and the loss of property, you may be owed a lot of money by a negligent driver.