St. Petersburg Motorcycle Accident Dynamics
There are a number of motorcycle accident dynamics in St. Petersburg that affect the danger and injury sustained. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident contact an attorney today. In a car, a person has airbags, safety belts, and is surrounded by the metal of the vehicle that can be protective in an accident. On a motorcycle, however, there is nothing between a person’s body and the other vehicle, the street, a telephone pole, or another car. The exposure on a motorcycle increases the risk of injury in a motorcycle accident in St. Petersburg.
Frequency of Accidents
Motorcycle accidents may happen more frequently than pedestrian accidents because motorcyclists may take unsafe liberties while driving, including weaving in and out of lanes, riding in a bicycle lane, and riding in an emergency lane.
Motorcyclists also may not obey the speed limit and cars do not notice motorcycles as they should. There are a lot of groups that advocate for cars to pay attention to motorcyclists. If drivers are not paying attention like they should , they can miss a motorcyclist passing them, coming up behind them, or in front of them, especially at night leading to more accidents
Unique Dynamics of an Accident
Two aspects that are more common in motorcycle accidents than in auto accidents are broken bones and traumatic brain injuries. Broken bones are common because of the exposure to the elements. Traumatic brain injuries are more common in motorcycle accidents because motorcyclists may not wear helmets or the impact can be so significant that the brain injury is caused even when the rider wears a helmet.
Motorcyclists should be more aware of their risk for injury, which is why they should always wear a helmet and other protective gear. Motorcyclists should be cautious because cars do not look out for motorcycles as they do for other cars, as such they should drive defensively to limit the likelihood of accident because their risk for injury is more severe.
Comparative Negligence
Comparative negligence is relevant when the victim increases the chances of an accident or increases the severity of injuries. If a motorcyclist was not driving safely or driving over the speed limit, that can contribute to an accident even if the at-fault party contributed more to that accident.
If a motorcyclist is not wearing protective wear, including a helmet, that can contribute to the severity of the injuries. When the injured person is somewhat at fault in the accident or the severity of the injuries, it can limit what could be collected from the settlement or the verdict in a motorcycle accident case.
People that drive motorcycles are held to a similar standard as passenger vehicle drivers, which is what a reasonably prudent person would do in their situation. They should actually have specialized training to drive a motorcycle, and they also are expected to drive safely just like people in passenger vehicles.
There are many dynamics of a motorcycle accident that will be taken into account. Attorneys consider the driving pattern of all parties involved per the victim and witnesses’ statements. The attorney will also take into account what safety and protective gear was worn by the victim and the road conditions where the accident happened.