Dealing with Texas Motorcycle Accidents

Unfortunately, hardly a week goes by in Texas without a newspaper story involving a motorcycle accident and serious injury or death. Texas averages around 300 to 500 motorcyclist deaths a year, most of which involve drivers’ not wearing a helmet. The US Department of Transportation estimated that, in Texas, wearing a helmet saves about 100 lives each year and that wearing a helmet could save another 100 if every motorcyclist wore a helmet.A Texas motorcyclist died this week after a collision with a public transit bus. Turning left, the bus failed to yield to the motorcyclist who then ran into the bus. The state trooper reported that the motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet and paramedics pronounced him as dead at the scene.A week prior, another Texas motorcyclist died in a high-speed accident despite wearing a helmet. The young, 21-year-old man lost control of his motorcycle while traveling at a high speed. The motorcycle skidded off the roadway but the man remained in the center of the road where a passing car struck and killed him. Motorcyclists face more dangers than other vehicles on the road so it is important to receive the help of a Lufkin injury attorney if have you been involved in a motorcycle accident.

Avoiding Motorcycle Accidents

The Texas Department of Public Safety reported that more than half of motorcycle accidents occur because another motorist did not see the motorcycle. Other drivers, and not the motorcyclist, are responsible for almost two-thirds of motorcycle accidents in Texas. Motorcyclist accidents often result in serious injuries to the motorcyclists and little damage to the other vehicle or its passengers. Consequently, motorcyclists should take steps to ensure that other motorists are aware of the motorcycle and the following are some helpful pointers:

• Be vigilant when approaching intersections and anytime a left turn is involved. Cars often turn left out in front of motorcycles because they are difficult to see. Nearly half of Texas motorcycle accidents occur at intersections.
• Stay out of a car’s blind spot. Just as car drivers should not stay in the blind spots of tractor-trailers, motorcycles, with their smaller size, make it difficult for drivers to spot them. Drivers can change lanes without seeing the motorcyclist.
• Slow down and drive more cautiously in inclement weather and poor road conditions. Motorcycles handle differently than cars and potholes, railroad tracks, and wet or icy roads are much more dangerous for motorcyclists than for drivers.
• Ride assuming that other motorists cannot see you. In this way, you can drive more cautiously and provide extra space and time in the event that an emergency arises and you need to react quickly.

The priority for a motorcyclist is to avoid accidents or coming anywhere even close to an accident because the motorcycle usually loses. Contact a Lufkin injury lawyer at Mike Love & Associates, LLC to learn how you can obtain compensation for your motorcycle injuries suffered because of the negligence of another driver.