The same features that make a motorcycle thrilling to ride leave the rider vulnerable to severe injuries in a crash. A motorcycle’s two-wheeled design makes it far more likely to tip over than a car. The slim silhouette also makes it more difficult for drivers to judge a motorcycle’s speed and distance while sharing the roadway.
Motorcycle accidents can result in injuries ranging from mild to catastrophic or deadly. There are 10 common types of motorcycle accidents that often result in trauma to a rider.
If you were hurt in an accident, contact a Laredo motorcycle accident attorney today to pursue financial compensation.
Motorcycle Laydown Accidents
A laydown accident or “low side” crash occurs when a motorcycle tips and slides along the road on its side. These can occur unintentionally as a motorcyclist maneuvers to avoid a collision, but in other cases, a motorcyclist intentionally tips into a low slide or laydown to reduce the impact force of an impending collision with a vehicle or obstacle.
A High-Side Crash on a Motorcycle
When a motorcycle’s tires lose traction on the road due to a slippery surface or the rider’s sudden accident-evasion maneuver, but then the tires grip the surface again, it can result in a high-side crash. During a high-side crash, the motorcycle flips over, resulting in a high-force impact.
Rear-end Collision Accidents
When a driver follows a motorcycle too closely, the result can be a rear-end collision. Drivers sometimes misjudge the distance between the front of their vehicle and the motorcycle directly in front of them, or may fail to notice a motorcyclist’s brakelight, resulting in a crash from behind. In heavy traffic, the rear-impact may cause the motorcycle to collide with another vehicle directly ahead in a secondary collision.
Blindspot Accidents
A driver sometimes makes an unsafe lane change into the path of a motorcycle while the rider is in their blindspot. Motorcycles are easier to overlook than a full-sized car or truck, but drivers have a legal duty of care to double check blindspots before changing lanes.
A blindspot accident that sideswipes a motorcycle can cause the motorcycle to tip, slide, or collide with vehicles in other lanes.
Intersection Accidents
When a driver fails to yield the right of way to a motorcycle in an intersection due to running a red light or rolling through a stop sign, the result can be a T-bone collision with direct impact to the rider. Some T-bone collisions cause the vehicle to runover the biker and motorcycle.
Collisions With Obstacles
A collision with an obstacle may occur due to rider distraction, speeding, or loss of control. In other cases, an obstacle such as a traffic cone, barrel, or construction debris poses a danger to motorcyclists.
Distracted Driver Collisions
When a driver texts and drives or is otherwise distracted while behind the wheel, the result can be a rear-end, head-on, or sideswipe collision with a motorcycle.
Head-on Collisions
Head-on collisions occur when one vehicle departs from its lane and enters an oncoming lane. Head-on collisions with motorcycles may result from a driver or motorcyclist speeding around a curve or entering a one-way street or divided highway in the wrong direction.
Debris Accidents
A motorcycle’s tires may lose traction on the road surface due to dangerous debris such as grass clippings, sand, or loose gravel. This results in single-motorcycle accidents caused by the rider’s sudden loss of control.
Impaired Driving Accidents
Some of the worst motorcycle accidents result from a driver’s egregious actions, such as driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. These substances impair judgment, making it more difficult for a driver to accurately assess a motorcycle’s speed and distance.
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