By: Motorcycle Accident Prevention
The motor vehicle accident lawyers at The Roberts Law Firm are staunch advocates for motorcycle safety at our Orange County law firm because we are motorcyclists ourselves. We understand the risks inherent in riding – as a motorcyclist, you are exposed and vulnerable. Taking active measures to protect yourself on the road can prove life saving in the event of an accident, and may help prevent an accident altogether. If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, we can help ensure that your legal rights are protected, but it is our hope that you will never require our services. We empathize with fellow riders and wish all motorcyclists safe travels on the road. To arrange a consultation with Mr. Jeff Roberts, we welcome you to contact our Newport Beach law firm today – your initial consultation is complimentary and we can answer any questions you may have.
Motorcycle Safety Tips
Motorcycle safety is important. The team at our Orange County firm knows full well the dangers presented to motorcyclists because we ride. As riders representing riders, we are uniquely equipped to provide counsel to motorcyclists in need. Whether you’re new to riding or have been a motorcyclist your whole life, it will serve you well to acquaint yourself, or familiarize yourself, with the following basic motorcycle safety tips:
Ride Defensively – One of the most important things that you can do to ensure your safety on the road is to ride in a defensive manner. Riding defensively means preparing for the worst and being alert at all times. Rather than reacting to other motorists on the road, you should anticipate their moves and ride accordingly. Ideally, this defensive posture will help you avoid accidents. Maintaining safe driving distances, driving at a safe and controllable speed, ensuring there are escape routes in the event of an accident up ahead, and being cognizant of other vehicles in intersections and driveways are essential to avoiding collisions.
Ride Safely – To ride safely, a motorcyclist must react to the environment and be comfortable with his or her motorcycle. As a motorcyclist, you must abide by all traffic laws and are required to share the road. While lane splitting is legal, exceeding the speed limit in any circumstance is not. Obeying traffic laws and ensuring your motorcycle meets California motor vehicle standards will help you stay safe and out of trouble. Riding for the conditions is also extremely important; hazards that have little-to-no impact on a car, such as potholes, manhole covers, debris, or oil slicks, can prove extremely dangerous for a motorcycle. Being aware of these potential risks at all times will help you avoid an accident. Lastly, be familiar and comfortable with your motorcycle – motorcycle are unique vehicles and require skill to operate.
Wear Safety Gear – The statistics are hard to ignore: according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 80 percent of all motorcycle accidents result in injury or death, while only 20 percent of automobile accidents do. To help minimize the risk of injury or death in an accident, you should wear proper safety gear at all times. Riding attire is a fundamental aspect of motorcycle safety and we strongly recommend it at our Orange County law firm. In the state of California, you are required by law to wear a helmet at all times while operating a motorcycle, but you should also wear eye protection, a jacket and pants made from heavy material or leather, gloves, and boots. To help ensure that other motorists see you, you should also consider wearing reflective vests.
Make Yourself Seen – As a motorcyclist, you are often invisible to other drivers. We encourage all riders to take measures to make themselves more visible to their fellow motorists. Steps you can take include: wear bright, highly visible clothing, including reflective vests; position yourself in the lane so that you can be prominently seen in a rearview mirror, and drive with your headlights on at all times; signal lane changes at all times and consider using hand signals as well; and avoid a vehicle’s blind spot at all times. If splitting lanes, do so with caution and at a safe speed.
Call A Riverside County Injury Lawyer
We can provide you with sound legal counsel if you have been involved in a motorcycle accident. To arrange a consultation with Mr. Roberts, please contact our motorcycle litigation practice today. We proudly serve those injured in all types of automobile accidents in Orange County and Riverside County, California.