• Mount Pleasant Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys
  • Phone: 641-792-3595
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When tragedy strikes, motorcycle injury attorneys serve as steadfast supporters for riders. With a focus on motorcycle accidents, they skillfully manage legal challenges to ensure injured riders receive the justice and compensation they deserve.

Tips to Avoid Some of the Most Common Motorcycle Accidents

Common Motorcycle Accidents and Prevention Tips

Motorcycle accidents are often avoidable if riders are knowledgeable about good riding techniques and safety measures. Below, we discuss some common motorcycle crashes and how to prevent them.

1. Drinking and Driving
   - Statistics: Alcohol is a factor in 50% of all motorcycle wrecks according to the 1981 Hurt Report.
   - Prevention: Don’t drink and ride. Alcohol severely affects balance and coordination, essential skills for safe riding.

2. A Car Turns Left in Front of You
   - Description: A car at an intersection turns in front of you, often due to distraction or blind spots.
   - Prevention: Be vigilant at intersections, slow down, cover your brakes, and be prepared for evasive action. Look at the wheels of cars for early signs of movement.

3. Hitting Gravel in a Blind Corner
   - Description: Losing control on sand or gravel in a blind corner on curvy roads.
   - Prevention: Ride at a pace that matches your vision. Use the “Slow In, Fast Out” technique, entering corners wide and at an easy pace, then accelerating once you see through the turn.

4. Entering a Corner Too Fast
   - Description: Approaching a corner too quickly and realizing it’s tighter than anticipated.
   - Prevention: Ride only as fast as you can see and use visual clues like telephone poles and signs to judge the road's direction. If you enter a corner too fast, trust the bike's capabilities, lean, and stay smooth on the controls.

5. A Car Changes Lanes into You
   - Description: A car swerves into your lane without seeing you.
   - Prevention: Stay out of drivers' blind spots and watch for cues that a car might change lanes, such as turn signals and driver movements.

6. A Car Hits You from Behind
   - Description: Being rear-ended at an intersection.
   - Prevention: Stop to the side of the lane, flash your brake light rapidly, and be prepared to move. Keep the bike in gear and your hand on the throttle for a quick escape.

7. Careless Riding Buddies
   - Description: Group riding accidents due to sudden stops or inattentiveness.
   - Prevention: Follow proper group riding etiquette, such as staggered formation, to increase visibility and reduce the risk of collisions.

8. Locking Up the Front Brake
   - Description: Panic braking and locking the front wheel.
   - Prevention: Practice using the front brake in a controlled environment like an empty parking lot. Gradually increase speed and practice braking until you can reliably use the maximum braking ability of your motorcycle.

Dealing with Aggressive Drivers

Knowing how to deal with aggressive drivers is essential for motorcyclists, as these encounters can lead to serious accidents.

1. Don’t Respond to Road Rage
   - Advice: Avoid engaging with aggressive drivers. Keep your distance and stay calm to prevent escalation and potential accidents.

2. Move Over if Being Tailgated
   - Advice: If a driver is tailgating you, change lanes to let them pass. Do not speed up or slow down abruptly, as this can increase danger.

3. Report the Driver
   - Advice: If an aggressive driver poses a danger, pull over safely and report them to the authorities. 

Safety After a Motorcycle Accident

If a motorcycle accident results in serious injuries such as third-degree burns, proper medical treatment and legal help are crucial.

Skin Grafts for Burns
   - Process: Skin grafting involves taking skin from another part of the body or a donor. The damaged area is cleaned, and dead tissue is removed before the graft is applied.
   - Recovery: Healing can take several days to weeks, depending on the severity of the burn. Complications like infection can occur, and psychological trauma is common.

Consulting a Motorcycle Accident Attorney

The toll from severe motorcycle injuries can encompass substantial medical expenses and long-term care costs for victims and their families. Lost wages may compound matters, especially if employment becomes unrealistic for an extended period. Getting help from a motorcycle accident attorney allows the pursuit of comprehensive compensation, from financial damages and emotional distress such as pain and suffering.

Victims of these accidents should seek consultation with a motorcycle accident attorney, as damages may be extensive and recovery of compensation is important.

At Walker, Billingsley & Bair, our motorcycle accident attorneys can represent you in dealings with your insurance company, or when filing a personal injury claim. Set up your consultation now by calling 641-792-3595