Legal Specs

Motorcycle accident claim

06 Jun 2007

Motorcycling is perceived as an inherently dangerous activity, due to the high speed capabilities of the machines involved, and the relatively poor protection they offer. There are approximately 28,000 accidents involving motorcycles annually in the United Kingdom, which goes to show just how vulnerable motorcyclists can be on the road.

In order to try to prevent the rise of motorcycling accidents there are a number of things riders and fellow road users can do. For instance, it is important to make sure that bikers are wearing high visibility jackets or other appropriate clothing to ensure they can be seen by car drivers and other motorists. They should take up a good road position, again where they are clearly visible to all of the other motorists using the road, to make sure they can be seen when going round corners, or when overtaking. The main problem for motorcyclists is that they are obviously driving vehicles that are much smaller than normal cars, and therefore are harder to spot, especially when looking through mirrors. Of course, it doesn't help that many car drivers can be ignorant when they are on the road, and don't bother to even look for passing motorcyclists when manoeuvring. There have been recent hard hitting government advertising campaigns designed to highlight the dangers faced by motorcyclists on the roads, particularly other motorist's inability to spot them before turning corners, and passing through junctions.

Accidents involving motorcyclists can be devastating, as they do not have the protection a car offers. It is therefore essential to make sure that each time you go out on your bike you are wearing the advised protective clothing, such as leather pants, jacket and gloves, and preferably some form of high visibility outerwear. The helmet is probably the most important feature of a motorcyclist, and is required to be worn at all times when on a bike by law. Having a helmet in is probably the single most valuable weapon for preventing fatalities in accidents involving motorcyclists; don't wear one, and the risk of being killed in an accident rises by 40 per cent. Riders not only need to get themselves ready for the road, but the actual bikes they use need a large amount of preparation and maintenance as well. Even the tyres need careful consideration, such as size, type and pressure, which can all have an effect depending on the type of roads being ridden on. Finally, it is just as dangerous to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when riding a motorcycle as it is in a car, and motorcyclists have more chance of involved in an accident when drunk or on drugs.

It is important for motorcyclists to make sure they report any accidents, however small, to their insurance companies and the police. Conditions can only be changed and improved if the people who can help are aware of the pitfalls and dangers that motorcyclists face, even down to such things as poor road maintenance, which is a big contributor to motorcycling accidents. It is each person's legal and civil right to make a claim; despite the fact that public perception sees the motorcyclist as the reckless driver, it is more often than not other road users at fault for accidents, and this needs to be highlighted in order for accidents involving motorcyclists to be cut.
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