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Spanish Poor road conditions substantially impact motorcycles and their riders more than cars and their drivers. This can make a motorcycle accident more likely to occur and much more serious for motorcycle accident victims.
How Road Conditions Cause Motorcycle Accidents
Road conditions that drivers don’t think twice about can cause a catastrophic accident for a motorcycle rider. These road conditions include:
- Debris like gravel, branches, grass clippings: Gravel, branches, grass clippings, sand, and debris from vehicles (e.g., a piece of tire or broken piece of a fender) can cause a rider to lose control of their bike or even be ejected from it.
- Potholes: A four-wheel vehicle may suffer tire damage when it hits a pothole. However, a pothole, especially a very deep one, can throw a rider from a motorcycle.
- Bumpy or uneven road surfaces: Bumpy or uneven surfaces can cause instability and accidents.
- Bad road design: A lack of road signs warning of certain road hazards can make accidents more likely to occur. Bad road design can also cause hazards like standing water, which can also cause instability. A dangerous intersection can also cause a motorcycle accident.
Who Is Liable for Road Conditions?
There may be several parties liable for hazardous road conditions, including:
- Government entities responsible for road maintenance: In many cases, the government entity responsible for road maintenance will be liable.
- Road engineers: If poor road design caused or contributed to an accident, we can hold the engineer or designer liable.
- Other drivers: If a driver’s failure to secure cargo or fix a broken car part created a road hazard, you can hold them liable.
- Maintenance crews: If maintenance crews failed to clean up a hazard, they can be liable for your injuries.
- Construction companies: Construction companies may leave accident-causing hazards in the roadway. If this caused your accident, we can hold the company liable.
We can help you identify the liable parties in your case.
How to Avoid a Motorcycle Accident Caused By Road Hazards
While other people are responsible for doing what they can to keep the road free from hazards, you have a responsibility to do what you can to keep yourself safe. Some actions you can take to prevent a motorcycle accident include:
- Taking corners slowly
- Riding more slowly on slippery roads
- Slowing down near construction accidents
- Never driving distracted
- Staying sober
- Remaining vigilant when approaching intersections
- Ensuring drivers see you if and when you are lane-splitting
- Honking when you are approaching an intersection
- Following speed limits
- Not riding on overinflated or underinflated tires
You can’t prevent every accident, but you can lessen the effects by:
- Wearing a helmet
- Wearing jeans or leather pants and leather jackets to prevent road rash
- Practicing defensive driving
- Prepare yourself for inevitable accidents (e.g., leave room to maneuver out of the way to lessen the brunt of impact)
What to Do If You Are Injured in a Poor Road Conditions Accident
Accidents are preventable, but they still happen. There are a few things you can do to protect yourself and your right to compensation if you were involved in a motorcycle crash:
- Check yourself and others for injuries.
- Call 911. The dispatcher will send law enforcement and paramedics to the scene.
- Get out of the roadway if need be.
- Exchange information with the other driver (if another driver was involved in your accident).
- Get medical care.
- Do not admit fault. Do not apologize.
- Do not say you are uninjured.
- Take photos of any road hazards or the poor road conditions that led to your injuries.
- Report the accident to your insurer. Most insurance companies have apps that allow you to do this from the scene.
After you’ve left the scene:
- Do not give any insurance companies a recorded statement. They want to trick you into saying something that will jeopardize your claim. Give the basics of your accident, and then direct any questions to your attorney.
- Do not accept a settlement offer without consulting our personal injury attorneys. Insurers often offer thousands less than injured parties deserve. If you sign a settlement agreement, your case is over. You cannot ask for more money later, even if you experience serious complications or find that the offer only covers your current losses.
- Schedule a free consultation with our personal injury law firm to explore your options. We can help you determine who is liable and get the compensation you deserve.
Our Attorneys Can Help You After an Accident Caused by Poor Road Conditions
Were you injured in a road hazards accident? Our motorcycle accident attorneys can help you hold the responsible party liable and get you the fair compensation you deserve. Call KJT Law Group today for a free consultation.
