Many motorcycle accidents are caused by road hazards. Hazards like wet pavement and road debris may not affect regular motor vehicles but they can be deadly for motorcyclists. Therefore, it’s important that motorcyclists be aware of the different road hazards out there and how to avoid them.
Common road hazards
The roads are more dangerous for you if you’re riding a motorcycle than if you’re driving a car. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have in riding various types of vehicles. Some of the more common road hazards are:
Rough roads- rough, bumpy, and uneven roads have caused many motorcycle accidents in the past.
Gravel on pavement – Gravel on roads tends to cause a lot of motorcycle accidents, especially when those motorcyclists were taking sharp turns.
Edge breaks- This is when two sides of a road are uneven. They can and do spell disaster for motorcyclists riding at fast speeds/
Expansion joints- These connect different parts of a road together. They also connect roads to bridges. They can become uneven with time and they can cause many bad motorcycle accidents.
Open bridge joints- These hold the different parts of a bridge together. If they’re very wide, motorcyclists will have difficulty riding on them.
Animals- Wild animals like deer and buffalos tend to unexpectedly run into roads. Since they’re impossible to avoid, they can and do result in fatal motorcycle accidents.
Slippery surfaces
These tend to cause more motorcycle accidents and more crashes faster. Some examples of slippery surfaces are:
● Leaves
● Crosswalk lines
● Trolley lines
● Painted surfaces
● anti-freeze/oil on surfaces
Fresh rain on roads can also cause slippery surfaces and result in motorcycle accidents.
Water – Standing water and snow and ice can also cause motorcycle accidents.
Railway tracks and crossings- These can cause motorcycle accidents if the cyclists’ wheels get stuck in the cracks in these tracks and crossings.
Debris- Sticks on the road can and do cause motorcycle accidents’
Although there are many hazards that you need to be aware of, if you are in a motorcycle accident, here are some things that you need to be aware of as per personal injury lawyer in Huntsville.
These are the first things that you should do if you decide to represent yourself in your personal injury case:
• Take pictures of the accident scene and resulting property damage
• Get a copy of the police report if you were involved in a car accident
• Seek any necessary medical treatment ASAP
• Exhaust your personal injury protection to pay any resulting bills before touching your health insurance coverage.
• Never provide the defendant’s insurance company with a recorded statement
• Always file within the statute of limitations
• Never share any details of your case on social media platforms.
Make sure you understand the risks involved. You should know that going to court is risky and that there’s a chance that you could end up with nothing for your time, efforts, and money!