Why Motorcycle Accident Injury Cases are Different Than Other Injury Cases
Motorcycles offer the driver and passenger freedom in driving long distances on the open road. They are in the open air and are not boxed in like in an automobile. With this freedom, however, comes risk of serious injury. Proper precautions must be used to prevent these accidents.
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Serious Injuries Are More Frequent for Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle riders are almost always the one injured in motorcycle accident casts and their injuries can be severe. Wearing a helmet, using proper clothing, and following the motorcycle traffic rules are just a few of the precautions that must be taken to mitigate the risk of injury. Even with all precautions being followed, motorcycle accidents are common and result in serious debilitating injuries or death. Automobile participants are protected by car bodies but there is no similar barrier to protect the motorcycle riders. In those accidents involving an automobile and motorcycle, the riders usually end up in the hospital or killed due to someone’s negligence. Miscalculations or careless driving usually make up the majority of motorcycle accidents.
As to these situations, motorcycles have two major differences when compared to an automobile. First, they are smaller and harder to see until it’s too late to avoid. Second, they drive through traffic differently than an automobile. This conduct makes anticipating the path of the motorcycle more difficult for drivers. These factors contribute to the increased severity of injuries typically seen after in a motorcycle accident case. The most common ones that lead to these accidents are:
- Head on collision due to aggressive and distracted motorcycle driving. This swerving does not give automobiles sufficient time to recognize a motorcycle;
- Left-hand turns when the motorcycle is going through and intersection, passing an automobile, or trying to overtake an automobile because of its smaller size;
- Driving between lanes in traffic creates a risk of automobile entanglement, a smaller space lane to navigate, or drivers who don’t anticipate a motorcycle in this location.
Differences Between Car Insurance and Motorcycle Insurance
When it comes to insurance coverage for the motorcycle accident, there are different insurance policies entirely when it comes to motorcycles v. automobiles Even the definition of a motorcycle under an insurance policy is not 100% clear in some of the policies out there and you may need to consider the legal definition of the term depending on what type of bike is involved. For example, they might be referred to as choppers, mopeds or even certain other bikes or vehicle types. This is typically pretty different in an automobile insurance policy where it there is less variation on the type of vehicle. On top of that, each state is going to require something different of his motorcycle insurance policy. Typically it’s going to require some coverage for property damage and other minimum types of coverage for other liabilities involved in the accident. Motorcycle insurance policies are also pretty customizable and most of the customization relates specifically to the unqiue characteristics of the motorcycles themselves. In other words, motorcycle insurance policies are very different from automobile insurance policies. Nowhere is this more apparent than the cost of the motorcycle insurance which is typically higher. Things such as the speed of the bike will likely increase the cost and as stated above, the higher risk of serious injuries involved in a motorcycle accident typically carries with it higher premiums.
About the Authors: Sawan & Sawan is a Toledo, Ohio based law firm representing clients in the areas of Personal Injury, Truck Accidents, and Car Accidents with lawyers licensed to practice in Ohio, Michigan and Georgia.
September 9, 2023
