A motorcycle crash is a life-changing event. Many people involved in motorcycle collisions suffer severe injuries, including broken bones and traumatic brain injuries.
Understanding the main causes of motorcycle accidents can help you spot danger and hopefully avoid injury. Unfortunately, no matter how careful you are, some crashes are entirely caused by someone else’s negligence. If you suffered injuries in a motorcycle crash, it’s important to remember you have options.
Georgia law establishes the legal requirements that must be satisfied to recover compensation for your damages and injuries. Read ahead to learn more about the most common causes of motorcycle accidents in Georgia and how a motorcycle injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.
For immediate assistance, please call (706) 354-4000 or send us an online message today.
Common Motorcycle Accident Causes
You may be wondering how motorcycle crashes happen. Negligent drivers, motorcycle riders, and truck operators cause most motorcycle wrecks. The most common causes of motorcycle accidents in Georgia are explained below.
Speeding
Drivers or motorcycle riders exceeding the posted speed limit pose a significant danger to themselves and those around them. Motorcycle riders involved in collisions with speeding cars usually suffer more severe injuries because speeding vehicles generate a greater force on impact. Always operate your motorcycle within designated speed limits to protect yourself.
Unsafe Lane Changes
Drivers who fail to safely change lanes or look for other vehicles or motorcyclists often cause serious crashes. Lane splitting and lane filtering are illegal in Georgia. However, motorcyclists who follow all traffic laws often go unseen by other drivers on roadways. When riding a motorcycle, look carefully at the drivers around you, and always use your turn signal when changing lanes.
Intoxication
Drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol pose a significant danger to those around them. Alcohol and drug use impair judgment, vision, reaction time, and other driving skills. Never operate a motorcycle while impaired. If you suspect someone is driving while impaired, contact the police to protect yourself and others.
Left Turns
When entering an intersection with unprotected left turns, drivers must yield to oncoming traffic before attempting to turn. Many motorcyclists are involved in collisions when a driver either attempts to beat the light or fails to see a motorcyclist entering the intersection. Motorcyclists should always enter intersections carefully and never try to speed through them.
Open Doors
Those exiting their vehicle when parked on a roadway must check for motorcyclists before opening their doors. Many motorcyclists suffer serious injuries when colliding with an open car door. As you drive down residential streets, drive the designated speed limit and be on the lookout for drivers exiting their vehicles.
Road Hazards
Potholes, uneven asphalt, debris, and other hazards present serious dangers to motorcyclists. Vehicles are much heavier than motorcycles and can safely withstand many roadway dangers. Unlike automobile drivers, motorcyclists do not have the protection afforded by a passenger vehicle’s body, glass, or airbags.
If a motorcycle hits an obstruction, there’s very little to protect them from directly hitting the road, the obstacle, or a vehicle. That’s why even a small obstruction that a car can easily navigate can cause devastating injuries to a motorcyclist.
While these are some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents in Georgia, you may have suffered injuries in a type of collision not covered in this list. If your motorcycle crash was caused by someone else’s negligent conduct, you might be entitled to compensation.
How Is Fault Determined in Georgia Motorcycle Crashes?
Determining the cause of your motorcycle collision will assist your attorney in determining who is liable for your damages. Georgia is an at-fault state, meaning drivers must pay for damages caused by their actions. However, for a victim to recover compensation, you must first establish the four elements of negligence.
These four elements include the following:
- Duty of care. All drivers must operate their vehicles in a reasonably safe manner. The level of care a driver must use is the same level of care a reasonable motorist would use in the same circumstances.
- Breach of duty. A breach occurs when a driver operates their vehicle or motorcycle in a manner inconsistent with this reasonably safe standard.
- Causation. The breach must be the legal and actual cause of the collision and your injury.
- Damages. An injured victim must have suffered actual losses due to the collision. For example, if you have spent money on medical treatment or lost out on wages due to your injury, you have suffered losses you can be compensated for.
Your personal injury attorney can use evidence such as police reports, photographs, witness statements, bills, accident reconstructionists, and medical records to establish the elements of negligence in your case.
Contact Our Georgia Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
At Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C., our attorneys have over 200 years of combined legal experience and have secured over $800 million in recoveries for our clients over the last decade.
Since our firm’s founding in 1984, we have remained one of the largest law firms in the area. We understand that each case is unique. We take the time to listen to you and understand your desired outcome before strategizing a plan of action. You will work directly with our attorneys to pursue the best outcome for your situation.
If you suffered injuries in a motorcycle collision, contact us online or by phone at (706) 354-4000 today to find out how we can help you. We offer free consultations and there is no fee unless we recover money for you in your case.
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