After months of dreary weather in Massachusetts, spring is finally here again. One definite sign of spring, as I sit here in my office, is the sound of motorcycles cruising by on Route 126 and Route 9 in Framingham. Most if not all avid riders or motorcyclists are excited for the spring season to hit the roadways on their bikes. Heading out on your bike for the first time of the season, however, isn’t simply pulling off the cover and hitting the start button. There are many risks that must be considered and prepared for.
Riding motorcycles can be a lot of fun, but it can also be very dangerous. The last thing on their minds is how motorcycle accidents happen every day. These crashes can occur anytime for a variety of reasons. When they do, riders are at a significant risk of serious injuries and great financial cost. If a motorcycle crash happens, our experienced Framingham motorcycle accident lawyers are here to help. Other drivers and insurance companies often blame the motorcycle for an accident. Our injury lawyers will be on your side to fight for you and get you the financial compensation you deserve.
Understand the Dangers Presented to Motorcyclists on Massachusetts Roads
All it takes is a split second to be hurt in a motorcycle accident in Massachusetts. After the winter months, refreshing your memory on the many hazards of the roads and highways, especially here in Massachusetts, could help in avoiding a motorcycle crash. Here are a few thoughts on what to be aware of:
Cars & Trucks Don’t Often See or Look for Motorcycles
You should be aware that in the spring, other drivers haven’t seen motorcycles on the road for a few months. Drivers of cars and trucks may have forgotten to pay attention to motorcycles on the roads and highways. When you get out on your bike this spring, you should not assume that you are seen by other drivers. Research has shown that most motorcycle accidents are caused by other drivers who fail to see or recognize motorcycles on the road. Many times, these accidents are caused by distracted drivers. Another driver doesn’t need to make a direct hit to a motorcycle to cause the rider severe injuries. All it takes is a sideswipe, being clipped by a car, or a car swerving into a motorcycle’s lane to knock a rider from a bike.
Riders should keep their eyes up, on the road, and on other vehicles. Being an attentive rider will help you spot dangerous conditions and other vehicles on the roads. While you cannot avoid all accidents, this will allow you to make good decisions and quick actions to try and avoid a crash.
Potholes Can Present a Serious Danger to Riders
Be aware of potholes. After cold winters in Massachusetts and plows hitting the roads and highways, potholes are often created. Potholes are areas of the asphalt on the roads that have cracked or worn away. These conditions will eventually create a hole in the road or highway. These holes present a considerable hazard to motorcycles.
When out on your bike, these potholes appear without warning, especially at high speeds on a motorcycle. Hitting a pothole while on your motorcycle may cause you to lose control of your bike and crash. They can also cause bikes to be forced into oncoming traffic or other lanes of travel colliding with other vehicles. Additionally, these potholes also cause cars and trucks to swerve to avoid hitting the potholes. The car or truck that veers away from a pothole may strike a motorcycle and knock the rider off the bike.
As mentioned above, riders need to keep their eyes up and on the road to identify hazards such as potholes while riding. Also, allow a safe distance between you and other vehicles. This will allow you time to safely react to a pothole or another vehicle maneuvering to avoid a pothole.
Inclement Weather can be Dangerous for Motorcycles
While a lot of riders are excited to get out of their bikes in the spring, springtime brings weather conditions that present hazards to motorcycles. The springtime weather in Massachusetts can be unpredictable. Somedays we get bright sunshine. On other days we get a lot of cold rain. Sometimes we may get both sunshine and then rain later in the same day. You may leave your home on your bike when it is sunny and dry outside only to be caught out in the rain within a few hours. I’m sure many riders reading this have been caught out in the rain only to find an overpass or other cover from the rain.
Rain can cause roads to become slick and reduce a rider’s visibility. These conditions make the roads and highways a dangerous place for motorcycle riders. The slippery conditions caused by rain make it more difficult for motorcycles to safely stop and avoid hazard conditions on the roadway. These circumstances also make it hard for a rider to make a defensive maneuver to avoid being struck by a distracted or veering driver.
Don’t forget, though, rain will also reduce other drivers’ visibility. It is difficult for some drivers to see motorcycles in perfect weather, but it is much more difficult for drivers in a car or truck to see motorcycles out in a rainstorm.
If You Are Injured in a Motorcycle Accident, Our Framingham Accident Lawyers Will Make Sure You Are Treated Fairly
In our experience handling accident claims and cases in Massachusetts for decades, the insurance companies make it very difficult for accident victims to recover fair compensation for their injuries and economic damages. Regardless of the commercials we all see and hear from them that they are there to help, the insurance companies are not looking out for your best interests. Insurance companies are big businesses. They want to increase their income (insurance premiums) and reduce costs and expenses (i.e., settlements and verdict payments).
To pay out nothing or as little as possible in accident claims, insurance companies employ the use of tricks and tactics to benefit them and their goal – to save them money. After being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in Massachusetts, our Framingham injury attorneys are here to help and protect your rights.
Insurance companies make it difficult for accident victims in car crashes or truck accidents to recover fair compensation. Motorcycle accidents can sometimes be even more difficult. This is because of a common misconception about motorcycles that they are inherently dangerous, and their riders are reckless. This is why other drivers and their insurance companies often blame motorcyclists for causing accidents. In many cases, a car or truck is at fault for the accident, yet motorcycle riders are often blamed by insurance companies.
Traversing the legal process of a motorcycle crash is often difficult. An accident victim should consider having legal experts on their side to help. Our motorcycle accident lawyers have significant experience helping injured riders recover the compensation they deserve. One aspect of representing our clients is to anticipate and defend the insurance company’s tactics used to try to pay less than what is fair and deserved. This comes from experience and knowledge from handling numerous cases, which allow our accident lawyers to navigate the injury claims process efficiently and successfully.
