Hamilton NJ Motorcycle Accident Causes Lawyers
Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys with Offices in Hamilton and Pennington, NJ
Motorcyclists are always at great risk of an accident because motorcycles are relatively invisible when compared to other vehicles on the road. This means that drivers of cars and trucks often fail to notice motorcycles in areas of heavy traffic. Although there are many causes of motorcycle accidents, the predominant cause of serious motorcycle accident injuries is negligence by other drivers. Worse yet, motorcycle accidents often result in catastrophic injuries. In the worst cases, a motorcycle accident can be fatal.
Cohen & Riechelson is a highly respected law firm with a rich tradition in New Jersey. Our personal injury lawyers have more than 50 years of experience representing motorcycle accident victims throughout Mercer County, including Ewing, Lawrence, and West Windsor. Additionally, our litigation team includes a New Jersey Certified Civil Trial Attorney so you can trust us to get the job done for you in the courtroom. Contact us at (609) 528-2596 for additional assistance and a free consultation with one of our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers to discuss your legal options.
Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in Mercer County NJ
The majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by a motorist violating a motorcyclist’s right of way on the road. In fact, many motorists fail to yield to motorcycles because they don’t believe that motorcyclists deserve to share the road. Additionally, many motorcycle accidents occur at intersections, with the driver of a car or truck turning into the motorcyclist and causing a collision.
The most common causes of motorcycle accidents in the State of New Jersey include:
Negligent Drivers
Texting, putting on make-up, watching a video, or having a snack can quickly run through a red light, miss a stop sign, or rear-end someone because their eyes are not on the road. Studies have shown that distracted driving is almost as dangerous as drunk driving in terms of the gravity of the accidents and the frequency with which they occur. Drivers who are distracted from the task at hand are more likely to run a red light or run through a stop sign. The end result could be a rear-end collision.
Drunk Drivers
Intoxicated motorists pose a serious threat to motorcycle riders. Sadly, the drunk driver can be in a car, a truck, an SUV, or another motor vehicle. Frequently drivers are unaware of how drastically their driving is affected when they have been drinking. Reaction times are slowed, which can mean not braking on time or avoiding something on the road. Poor decision-making skills, inattention, or drowsiness can contribute to an accident.
Speeding
Speeding motorists are especially dangerous for motorcycle riders because motorcycle bodies do not protect riders in the event of a crash. It is essential to remember that motorcyclists have nothing to protect themselves. They are entirely exposed to horrible injuries. The faster the speed, the more intense the accident and, thereby more severe the damage.
Illegal Turns
Many motorcycle accidents are caused when the driver of a car or truck makes a U-turn or a left turn and crashes into an oncoming motorcycle. An unexpected illegal left turn or U-turn can often cause an accident with an oncoming motorist. At times it is difficult to calculate the speed at which the oncoming motorist is approaching, and turning illegally can cause trouble.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
Hit-and-run accidents involving a motorcycle are often fatal, with the other driver fleeing the scene because they fear serious criminal charges with severe penalties. New Jersey requires everyone involved in an automobile accident to stop. Sometimes, drivers don’t stop after an accident because they are driving under a suspended license, are intoxicated, have a warrant out for arrest, or simply because they are afraid. Ditching the scene of an accident will bring about much harder consequences than facing the original accident. The consequences for the offender don’t scratch the surface when compared with the horrible consequences for the person injured on a motorcycle in a hit and run.
Road Hazards
As one of the most common reasons motorcyclists crash, road conditions seriously threaten riders. Some examples include potholes, gravel, poorly lit roads, ramps, intersections, hidden private driveways, missing road signs, and incorrectly marked curves. Potholes, puddles, oil slicks, debris, and uneven pavement pose major safety risks for motorcycle riders because motorcycles are less stable than cars.
Weather Conditions
Inclement weather conditions account for some motorcycle accidents and they result in a statistically significant number of catastrophic injuries. Heavy rain, wind, and snow can make visibility difficult for motorcyclists, often because they don’t have a windshield to protect them from the elements. Icy or saturated roadways can cause a rider to slip and crash into a car or inanimate objects such as a tree or telephone pole.
Product Defects
Motorcycle manufacturing or design defects can result in brake failure, a stalled engine, or a flat tire. This can lead to serious motorcycle accidents. Shredding tires, inadequate fuel systems, electrical malfunctions, bad brakes, and accelerator issues are some of the mishaps that can cause a motorcyclist to have an accident. It is vital to keep your bike maintained adequately and pay attention to announced recalls from manufacturers.
Pedestrians
A single-vehicle accident can cause severe injuries when a motorcycle rider swerves to avoid jaywalking pedestrians. Pedestrians can be unpredictable. Frequently they don’t use the crosswalk or cross with a red light. Unfortunately, they believe they can calculate the speed of oncoming traffic in a way as to cross safely. Maneuvering to avoid hitting a pedestrian can cause a motorcyclist to have an accident, which may lead to severe injuries.
Lane Splitting
This is illegal in most states like New Jersey, but folks are still tempted to do it when traffic is heavy. It is when motorcyclists ride between two lanes of stopped or slow traffic to save time and get through more quickly. This is hazardous because there is no time to react if a motorist opens their door or moves to change lanes.
No Helmet
Not wearing a helmet with a visor can cause major trouble, even resulting in death if not permanent disability. With your eyes unprotected, one speck of sand or dirt can cause an accident. Your head is completely exposed to debris or low-hanging branches. Studies have shown that only one-third of motorcyclists in accidents without a helmet survived when their estimated speed was below 40 mph. When it was above, less than one-fifth of them stayed. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is all too often deadly.
Motorcycle Accident Causes By the Numbers
There are 152,111 registered motorcycles in New Jersey, and only 10% of their owners have received formal training. In 2017, one-third of motorcycle deaths involved drivers under the influence of alcohol, while 26 percent of fatal crashes that same year were due to speeding, and an additional 24 percent were a result of distracted driving. From 2012 to 2016, there were 12,000 motorcycle accidents. In 2016 alone, there were 69 fatalities out of 2,200 overall. Studies revealed that motorcycle riders have an 82% chance of having an injury when involved in a crash.
More than half of motorcycle accidents happen at intersections with traffic lights, and the other vehicle claimed to have not seen the bike in two-thirds of the cases. Almost half of the motorcycle accident fatalities where another car was not involved were around curves and corners.
Call our Hopewell Township NJ Motorcycle Accident Injury Attorneys
If you need an attorney due to a motorcycle accident or know someone who does, the motorcycle accident attorneys at Cohen & Riechelson are prepared to fight for you and help you secure maximum compensation for your motorcycle accident injuries. When you need help understanding your legal options, our attorneys are a phone call or click away.
Our lawyers have significant experience and can guide you through the process of settlement or litigation, keeping you up to date on every procedure and process. Insurance companies can use legal jargon to confuse you into settling right away, and that may not be in your best interest. Obtaining the maximum benefit for your injuries and material losses is what we are about and we refuse to back down. Additionally, we work on a contingency basis; this means that we don’t get paid unless you get paid.
In the last 50 years, our firm has been dedicated to serving injured clients in South Brunswick, Lawrenceville, Edison, Hamilton, Princeton, Robbinsville, Lambertville, and across Mercer County and Middlesex County. Call us today to discuss your motorcycle accident claim with one of our experienced attorneys, or email us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at our offices in Hamilton or Pennington, NJ.
