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Motorcycle
accidents and fatalities have been on the rise since
1998, and California has been at the top of the list every year.
Since most motorcycle accidents involve at least one other vehicle,
those who ride in cities where traffic is common, such as Los
Angeles, Palmdale, or in the Inland Empire, need to take
particular care.
| Not surprisingly, motorcycle accidents
more frequently result in serious injury, particularly
to limbs. Head,
neck, and spinal injuries are common, and all of these
injuries can result in time lost from work and other financial
concerns. Since the public is prejudiced against motorcycle
riders, a competent and experienced attorney from Los
Angeles Motorcycle Lawyers can assist you in dealing
with the outcome of any litigation or criminal proceedings.
When the system and the odds are stacked against the motorcyclist,
a motorcycle accident attorney who knows your rights as
a rider can work with you to uphold your legal rights.
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These statistics, gathered in 1981, can alert you to the
more common causes of motorcycle accidents.
Three-fourths of the accidents involve another motor vehicle,
most often a passenger car, and the remaining accidents, involving
just the motorcycle and the roadway or some fixed object on
the roadway, resulted in about two-thirds of the cases from
rider error, most typically due to overbraking or running wide
on a curve because of excess speed or undercornering.
The most common cause of accidents is when the motorcyclist's
right-of-way is violated, usually when the other vehicle turns
left in front of the motorcyclist at an intersection.
Visibility, more than deliberate hostile action by a motorist
or roadway defects such as potholes, is frequently a problem,
and the odds of an accident can be significantly reduced by
the use of motorcycle headlamps and the wearing of high visibility
yellow, orange, or red jackets. Sturdy boots, jackets, and
gloves can reduce scrapes and cuts, which frequently occur.
The color of the bike doesn't have much effect, nor does its
size.
| The use of a helmet is the single most
critical factor in significantly reducing head and neck
injuries for all levels of severity. Even in the very
few accidents that could be attributed to helmet use,
the helmet prevented possible critical or fatal head
injury. |
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Although the total street riding experience was almost 3 years,
more than half of the accident-involved riders had fewer than
5 months experience on the accident motorcycle. Familiarity
with your bike is crucial, and most riders involved in accidents
would overbrake and skid the rear wheel. The ability of the
riders involved in accidents to countersteer and swerve was
essentially absent. Lack of attention, or impairment by alcohol
use, is a common factor.
Large displacement motorcycles have fewer accidents, but the
ones they do have usually result in more severe injuries.
Weather isn't usually a factor and most accidents happen
on short trips when the motorcycle is being ridden under 30mph.
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