Motorcycle Accident in Michigan? You May Need a Motorcycle Injury Lawyer
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As a leading Michigan motorcycle accident attorney source, Cochran, Foley & Associates has assembled this resource to help you determine if you need a motorcycle accident attorney.
Below you’ll find a wealth of motorcycle information that will be especially useful if you’ve been in a motorcycle accident in Michigan. Our motorcycle injury lawyer team is always available to answer your questions.
Motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to serious injury when in an accident
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Our motorcycle accident lawyer team has noted that there is no way to eliminate risk in driving a motorcycle, and serious accidents occur to the most skilled bikers, because most often it is the other driver who is to blame.
Most motorcyclists employ every possible safety precaution and are defensive drivers but other drivers can cause very serious consequences because a biker is very vulnerable to serious injury or death when struck by another vehicle.
Michigan has laws that define what rights a cyclist has if involved in an accident. Because Michigan law does not consider a motorcycle to be a motor vehicle, there are significantly different rights for motorcycle accident victims than for victims of automobile accidents.
For that reason if you are involved in a motorcycle accident you should protect your rights by immediately calling Cochran, Foley & Associates at 800-322-5543 and ask for Terry Cochran or Lynn Foley. Both possess the special knowledge needed to make sure all necessary evidence has been gathered and to determine what legal action should be taken to protect your interests and future.
All about motorcycle accidents
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Motorcyclists, according to research by our Michigan motorcycle accident attorney team, are about 18 times more likely to be in a fatal accident and three times more likely to be injured than those in passenger cars.
In fact, the fatality rate for motorcyclists is 3.6 times greater than the fatality rate for occupants of passenger cars.
Cochran, Foley & Associates’ skilled motorcycle accident lawyer team has compiled a list of motorcycle accident statistics you should know:
41 percent of the 1,203 motorcycle operators who were killed in single-vehicle crashes were intoxicated.
Helmets were about 29 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists.
49 percent of young motorcyclist who were fatally injured in motorcycle accidents were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash.
About 75 percent of motorcycle accidents involved collision with another vehicle -- usually a passenger automobile.
Motorcycle equipment failure accounts for less than 3 percent of motorcycle accidents -- usually due to a puncture flat.
In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error causes 66 percent of motorcycle accidents -- the typical error being a slide out and fall due to over braking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
Roadway defects were the accident cause in 2 percent of motorcycle accidents.
Weather is not a factor in 98 percent of motorcycle accidents
The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph.
Less than 10 percent of the motorcycle riders involved in accidents have insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.
Ways to prevent motorcycle accidents
According to research by our motorcycle accident attorney team, in an average year 166,000 Americans will be hospitalized as a result of a motorcycle accident. 4,700 of these people will die. Many others will be crippled for life. Three primary reasons have been identified. A motorcycle is harder to see than a car; a motorcycle offers little or no protection for its rider; and a motorcycle's handling is tricky—if it skids, it often spills.
Follow these simple safety tips to avoid being seriously injured or killed in a motorcycle accident:
Always wear a helmet.
Never ride a motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Ride with extreme care. Steering, accelerating and braking require skill and a high degree of coordination.
Drive Defensively. Do not expect that car drivers will give you the right-of-way.
Avoid the center of the lane - where debris and oil droppings from cars accumulate
Wear a proper outfit - gloves, a jacket and boots will also protect you.
Always ride with your headlight on. If permitted by traffic laws do this even in daytime. The headlight will make you more visible to other drivers.
Apply reflective tape to your helmet.
Maintain your bike regularly. Make sure the brakes are in order. Do routine chain and engine checks before riding.
Wear eye and face protection.
Follow all rules of the road.
Watch out for other vehicles coming from driveways and side streets.
Don't let anyone ride with you until you are a skilled rider.
Instruct your passenger to keep his her legs away from the muffler to avoid burns
