Many motorcyclists receive extensive safety training and endorsements yet still become victims of a motorcycle collision. But the reality of any motorcycle collision is that it can happen to anyone, regardless of age or experience. Most collisions occur when a vehicle driver fails to see a motorcyclist and turns in front of the rider. When these collisions occur, the rider is ALWAYS on the losing end. There is no excuse when vehicles fail to take reasonable, necessary steps to ensure the safety of everyone on the road.
California alone has 862,705 registered motorcycles and more than 1.4 million licensed riders, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The law requires that both riders and drivers share the road with awareness and caution for ALL users. But according to the California Highway Patrol, the number of people killed in motorcycle-involved collisions has increased by nearly 11 percent, from 475 killed in 2013 to 527 killed in 2014. In 2014, over 400 riders were either killed or seriously injured in San Diego County alone!
Coastline, cliffs, mountains, and arid desserts are some of the scenery that makes southern California such an attractive area for motorcycle riders. The temperate year-round climate ensures that riders will never be prevented from riding on account of the weather.
The danger of many of these beloved rides is that motorcyclists have to share the road with larger vehicles whose drivers frequently don’t see the motorcycle. With so many motorcyclists in San Diego County, motorcycle accidents are often mentioned in nightly news reports and the morning newspaper.
In automobile vs. motorcycle accidents, the motorcyclist is always the losing party. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, the majority of motorcycle accidents occur during the summer months from May through August, with over 50% of accidents happening on non-interstate major roads. In motorcycle vs. motor vehicle accidents, the motorcyclist always sustains worse injuries than the other driver, with many of these accidents resulting in broken bones and sometimes fatalities.
The following list includes a few of the motorcycle accidents that have occurred in San Diego County during the statistically high-incident summer months:
July 24, 2016 – Motorcyclist killed in car collision in San Marcos
July 16, 2016 – Motorcyclist killed after head on collision with car in Potrero
July 10, 2016 – Couple killed in motorcycle crash on I-5 in San Clemente
July 8, 2016 – Motorcyclist killed after losing control in 2 car accident in Mission Bay
July 8, 2016 – Motorcyclist killed, another injured, after collision by hit-and-run driver in Tierrasanta
July 6, 2016 – Motorcyclist killed after driver loses control of her vehicle in Pauma Valley
June 20, 2016 – Motorcyclist killed in crash near Julian
May 2, 2016 – Carlsbad motorcyclist killed in DUI car collision while lane splitting
While there are many precautions a motorcyclist can take to be safer on the road, neither the perfect speed nor very cautious driving can protect a rider from injury or death when an accident is caused by another motorist. Too often motorcyclists are assumed to have been speeding or driving recklessly and get blamed for an accident they didn’t cause. Insurance companies and insurance defense attorneys will try to make the accident the motorcyclist’s fault in order to minimize the compensation they’ll have to pay to the rider.
Don’t jeopardize your right to full compensation! If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a motorcycle accident, due to the fault of another party, it is possible to file a claim against the negligent party and obtain compensation for the medical expenses and general damages due to the injuries incurred.
Here at The Goetz Law Firm we specialize is representing motorcycle collision victims and their families. If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle collision, don’t hesitate to get the representation you deserve. Call for a FREE case consultation.