Washington, DC Catastrophic Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle accidents occur any time, anywhere, to anyone. Poor weather, lack of sleep, and reckless behavior can all contribute to a deadly crash. The main causes of motorcycle crashes are:

• Distracted driving: Distracted driving is a problem throughout the United States and one of the leading causes of all motor accidents. Drivers of motor vehicles get distracted by texting, looking at their phones, eating, grooming, and talking with passengers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, taking your eyes off the road to look at a text message for five seconds is comparable to driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. Distracted driving can cause the motorist to not be able to stop in time, or simply to not even see a motorcyclist, causing a catastrophic motorcycle accident.
• Unsafe lane changes: Blind spots are dangerous in any situation, but many motorcyclists are hit by motorists who fail to check their blind spots before changing lanes or making left-hand turns. It is important for motorists to check blind spots for oncoming motorcyclists before turning or switching lanes. Left-hand turn collisions are among the most common causes of motorcycle crashes.
• Drunk driving: Driving while intoxicated slows down reaction times and impairs coordination. Intoxicated drivers are less aware of their surroundings and are not in the right mind to take proper precautions while driving. For these reasons, drunk drivers are extremely dangerous to anyone on the road, but especially dangerous to motorcyclists. Motorcycles are not as easily seen as regular vehicles and the riders do not have the same protection that a vehicle driver does if a motorcycle crash should occur.
• Speeding and unsafe driving: When a motorist speeds, it inevitably takes more time to slow the vehicle down at sudden stops, which leads to more frequent and deadlier collisions. Most passenger vehicles are equipped with crumple zones, which are designed to protect the driver by absorbing the impact of the collision. Motorcycles do not come equipped with such a feature. In fact, there is no structure around the rider that will provide protection in the event of a motorcycle accident. Therefore, when vehicle drivers swerve in and out of lanes, tailgate, suddenly stop, or aggressively drive, they run the risk of causing an accident with a motorcyclist who has minimal protection. Speeding and unsafe driving on the part of a motor vehicle driver can cause catastrophic damage to a motorcycle rider.
• Loose cargo: If motorcyclists are riding near commercial trucks, there is a chance that any loose cargo may fall and hit the rider. While this is dangerous for all motorists on the road, motorcycle riders do not have the protection of a vehicle to lessen the impact of the falling cargo. Improperly loaded cargo can cause riders severe injuries or even wrongful death.
• Design or manufacturing defects: Mechanical failures, which cause many motorcycle accidents, can be the result of negligence during the design or manufacturing of the bike. If something goes wrong mechanically, such as brakes giving out or the clutch not working properly, then it can lead to a serious crash.
• Defective equipment: Defective equipment, such as helmets, can make a motorcycle crash more severe for the rider. If equipment fails to adequately protect the rider, then a case may be made against the manufacturer of that equipment.