Let Our New Orleans Motorcycle Crash Law Firm Help You Avoid Accident Risks
Even the most cautious and conscientious motorcycle riders can get into accidents. Many if not most motorcycle accidents are the result of factors that have nothing to do with the biker’s conduct. Rather, the failure of other drivers to share the road, or their reckless or negligent driving, can lead to tragic motorcycle collisions which result in serious injuries or death. Contact a skilled New Orleans motorcycle crash law firm today if you or someone you love has been injured in a wreck.
Motorcycle accidents happen for many different reasons. Some of the causes of motorcycle accidents are the same as those in car accidents, such as driving under the influence or while fatigued. Other causes are unique to bikers. Some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
Speeding/Reckless Driving
Speeding or reckless drivers don’t just put other drivers and vehicle passengers at risk, they are a danger to bikers as well. In fact, drivers who ignore speed limits or make unsafe lane changes or other dangerous maneuvers are more prone to hit motorcycles than other vehicles. The smaller size and agility of motorcycles make them inherently harder for drivers to see even in the best of circumstances. A driver travelling at excessive speed is even less likely to see a biker.
Lane Splitting
Lane splitting refers to a motorcycle driving between lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic. While lane splitting certainly can get bikers through a traffic jam quicker, it comes with serious risks. The motorcycle’s close proximity to other vehicles means that there is less space between the bike and the car, leaving little margin for error or time to react if a driver makes a sudden lane change. Also, while drivers may be keeping an eye out for cars in other lanes, they may not be anticipating a motorcycle passing them between lanes.
The danger inherent in lane-splitting is the primary reason it is against the law in Louisiana and most other states, California being the notable exception.
Driving Without a License
According to some estimates, approximately two million bikers currently ride without a valid license. This group of bikers is at significantly greater risk of being involved in a fatal accident. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2016, 27 percent of fatally injured motorcycle riders were operating without a valid driver’s license. The rate of unlicensed fatally injured motorcycle riders during that year was higher than the rate of unlicensed fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers (27 percent vs. 16 percent).
You need to pass skill and knowledge tests to obtain a valid motorcycle license, so a lack of proper training, experience and understanding of the rules of the road are likely reasons why so many unlicensed bikers get into accidents.
Contact Bloom Legal: New Orleans Motorcycle Accident Attorney
When a biker is injured or killed in a motorcycle collision caused by someone else’s negligence, they should be held accountable for the pain, hardship, and losses they cause. At Bloom Legal, motorcycle accidents and injuries are personal. Firm founder Seth Bloom is a biker himself. He knows the joys of riding, and as an experienced New Orleans motorcycle accident attorney, he has seen first-hand the catastrophic aftermath of serious motorcycle accidents. He brings his passion for riding and his commitment to his clients’ well-being to every case he handles on behalf of injured bikers, working tirelessly to obtain the maximum amount of compensation available.
Contact Bloom Legal today at 504-599-9997 or through our contact form to arrange for your free consultation to discuss the details of your motorcycle accident case.
Hear What Our Clients Have To Say
"This company is one of the most helpful and dutiful law firms in New Orleans. I have met with Seth Bloom multiple times and he has helped with out of several situations I thought had no solution. He made me feel calm, comfortable, and collected. After our first meeting, he established a genuine interest in my position and assured me that he would stand by me. Aside from that, he is one of the most professional lawyers I have dealt with, and I believe his service to be above what people in New Orleans consider to be great service."
Posted By: Zachary Klos