Greensburg Attorneys advise motorcyclists to use caution when on the road to avoid causing accidents.
If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, then you live for the thrill of your bike howling beneath you as the wind rushes past your face. But saving lives is much cooler than cruising about town at breakneck speeds.
The United States Department of Transportation reported in February of 2022 that approximately 31,720 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021. This was an increase of 12% from the 28,325 motor vehicle traffic crashes reported in 2020.
What is causing all these motor vehicle accidents? No substantial changes were made to traffic laws nor have there been any significant changes to traffic infrastructure lending to the rise of fatal crashes. One possible answer is the rise of reckless drivers.
Reckless driving is governed by Pennsylvania Law under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3736. Reckless driving is described under the statute as “Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.” A summary offense carries a $200 fine; however, the cost of reckless driving could be far steeper. It could even cost you your life.
On April 27, 2022, more than three dozen motorcycle operators traveled down Route 22 near Bethlehem Pennsylvania as reported by lehighvalleylive.com. The flock of bikers, while believing they were harmlessly enjoying a day of riding, operated their vehicles in a reckless manner leading to a pile up of fifteen motorcycles, and the hospitalization of four motorists.
As a motorcyclist, you owe the same duty of care to other drivers as every other motorist when operating your vehicle. When operating a motorcycle, you must follow the rules of the road and avoid conduct that puts other motorists’ lives in danger. If you do this, you will not only protect yourself and others from physical harm, but you will also avoid the risk of legal liability for the damages you cause.
Unfortunately, most people view motorcycling as an inherently dangerous activity, and any time an accident occurs involving such a motorist, it can be easy to assume that the cyclist caused the crash by driving too fast or driving recklessly. That is why, if you are a biker and you are involved in an accident, you should take the following steps to protect yourself:
- Take care of any injured individuals involved in the crash. Call 911 and wait for the police, an ambulance, or any other first responders to arrive.
- Take pictures of the damages caused to your bike and to any other vehicles involved in the incident. It is important to keep track of these damages and smartphones make it easy to document these incidents if the need for evidence ever presents itself.
- If there are any witnesses to the incident, take their statements or see if they will wait for the arrival of law enforcement to give their statements. Eyewitnesses may be able to describe the scene even better than you can personally, having had a third person view.
- Contact your insurance company. You will want to file an insurance claim as soon as you can so that you are not left on the hook financially for all the damages.
After taking these steps, contact the hardworking personal injury attorneys at Long & Long, LLC. While the statute of limitations for motorcycle accidents is two years, you will want to get the ball rolling on any claims you may have as quickly as possible. The closer to the incident you can begin building a case, the better. Call 724.834.9300 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free case evaluation.