Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in LA

Speeding, Drunk Driving, Road Debris and More

What are some of the common causes of motorcycle accidents? Familiarizing yourself with these may help you avoid a collision in the first place, or identify what may have caused a collision that has already occurred. At Pacific Attorney Group, we believe in educating our clients and offering unwavering support and guidance after serious auto accidents, including motorcycle accidents. Our motorcycle accident lawyers represent our clients’ interests to the fullest extent inside and outside of the courtroom to help them recover financial compensation that can help them re-establish their lives.

Following are some of the potential causes of motorcycle accidents, including both the common and not-so-common causes:

Speeding
According to statistics presented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding was a contributing factor in about one-third of all traffic fatalities in the United States in 2011. Speeding decreases a driver’s control over a vehicle and increases the severity of any resulting collision. Speeding presents another level of danger to motorcyclists, who face an increased risk of injury or death in an accident.

Drunk Driving
Drunk driving, or driving under the influence, is not only illegal but extremely dangerous. Driving with alcohol or drugs in one’s system decreases decision-making abilities and affects reaction time, vision and motor skills. Nearly one-third of traffic fatalities involve drunk drivers. When motorcycle accidents are caused by drunk drivers, our attorneys stand ready to seek justice on the victims’ behalf.

Distracted Driving
Distracted driving, including texting while driving or other actions that take a driver’s attention from the road, is a common cause of motorcycle accidents. Motorcycles are already more difficult to see than passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs, and distracted drivers may, therefore, be far less likely to see a motorcycle and rider.

Traffic Violations
Any type of traffic violation may result in a motorcycle accident. Our lawyers can take on cases involving such violations as speeding, following too closely, failure to yield the right of way, traffic light or stop sign violations, reckless driving, failure to signal, brake light violations and driving under the influence (DUI).

Defective Motorcycle Parts
A defective or poorly maintained motorcycle or motor vehicle can cause a serious accident, even if a driver is paying attention and obeying traffic laws. Some examples of motorcycle defects that can cause collisions may include: brake failures, tire blowouts, headlight failures, steering malfunction and engine defects.

Weather
Heavy weather can affect visibility and can create an altogether dangerous road and driving conditions, and motorcyclists may be more affected by these than motorists. Weather can also increase the impact that distracted driving or speeding has, leading to serious accidents. Our firm takes on cases involving heavy rain, fog, hail, wind and other weather conditions where negligence was also involved.

Dangerous Roads
When a road is poorly designed or maintained, it may present a serious hazard for all motorists. Motorcyclists may be in greater danger of suffering the consequences. A pothole, for example, may be more of a nuisance to a passenger car or may cause a flat tire, but may cause a motorcyclist to lose control and veer off the road into a tree or other obstacle, or throw a rider from his or her bike.

Road Debris
Debris in the road, from an animal to a tree branch, can cause a rider to lose control or be thrown from his or her bike. We are familiar with investigating road debris cases to help our clients determine liability and seek fair compensation.