Countless residents of Delaware are likely gearing-up for the summer months ahead. Whether they are college students getting out of school or workers preparing for long-awaited vacations, summer brings ample time to hit the road. Some may be breaking out their motorcycles for the first time this year, which is why May is a great time for motorcycle safety month.
Motorcycle-involved car accidents can often be extremely tragic, ending in serious injury or death. A motorcyclist is far less protected than an occupant inside a vehicle, even if the biker is wearing full safety gear including an appropriate helmet. Still, if all drivers follow the rules of the road and adhere to safety precautions, accidents should be few and far between on Delaware’s roads and highways.
In 2014, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 4,600 bikers lost their lives in auto accidents. It is the hope of the NHTSA that increasing education will lead to a decrease in the number of motorcycle accidents on the roads. According to one avid biker recently featured in a news report, the single most important thing drivers can do to avoid motorcycle accidents is give bikers enough space. When pulling out in front of a motorcycle or driving in front of them after passing a bike, it’s crucial for drivers to understand that bikers — just like all other drivers — can’t come to an immediate stop. Thus, a distracted driver can easily and inadvertently cause an accident by not giving a biker ample space on the road.
Hopefully, increased awareness of the need for cars and motorcycles to coexist will lead to a reduction in the number of motorcycle deaths in Delaware and elsewhere. Suffering a motorcycle accident is an arduous experience for many bikers. Huge medical bills, physical disabilities and immense pain and suffering are just a few of the hurdles many accident victims must cross in order to move on from a wreck. An auto accident lawyer can help a victim determine liability and prepare a case for compensation if necessary.
Source: ABC57.com, “Biker shares survival story for motorcycle awareness month,” Emily Kinzer, May 16, 2016
