Most Motorcycle Accidents Are Caused by Other Drivers

Perhaps it’s because of the way bikers are portrayed in movies and TV shows, but every time there’s a motorcycle accident in the Rockford, Illinois, area, police and insurance adjusters immediately leap to the conclusion that the biker was at fault. Was the biker speeding or weaving in and out of traffic? Were two or three bikers riding abreast of each other in the same lane? After all, it’s easier to attribute an accident to a reckless biker than to a supposedly “responsible” car or truck driver.

Most Motorcycle Accidents Are Caused by Other Vehicles

Despite this popular perception of reckless and antisocial bikers, the fact is that the vast majority of motorcycle accidents are caused not by bikers themselves, but by other vehicles on the road, including trucks, buses, cars, and SUVs. For example, the operators of these vehicles:

• May not be aware just how heavy the average motorcycle is, and therefore misjudge the physics involved in steering or braking the bike.
• Often neglect to use their turn signals when changing lanes, which can take an unwary biker by surprise and cause him to swerve to avoid an accident.
• May be more inclined to tailgate motorcycles, since they’re uncomfortable following a bike and would rather be behind a car or truck.
• Don’t respect bikers as deserving users of the road or highway and may go out of their way to harass or intimidate them.
• Simply don’t register motorcycles as “real” vehicles; if they see a truck or car, they’ll wait to make a left turn, but won’t extend this same courtesy to a motorcycle.

If Your Motorcycle Accident Was Caused by Another Driver, Then You Need an Experienced Lawyer

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident that was caused not by your own behavior, but by another driver, you need to hire a lawyer who will stand up for your rights. Questions? Contact the Rockford motorcycle accident attorneys at The Fisk & Monteleone Law Firm 815-962–0044 to find out what we can do for you!