Few things are as exhilarating as taking to the open road on the back of a motorcycle, making it clear why they are sometimes referred to as steel horses. In the Carmichael area, many individuals and groups take advantage of the great weather to spend hundreds of hours every year on the road. Unfortunately, this also means many opportunities for a person to get into a serious accident, especially when the driver of another vehicle is negligent.

Every year, thousands of motorcyclists are injured on California roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, approximately 400 people are killed in California in motorcycle accidents yearly. There are many causes of these accidents, but some of the common reasons for accidents involving a motorcycle and another vehicle include:

• Drivers making left turns in front of bikers – A bike and rider are smaller than other cars on the road means that many distracted drivers do not notice motorcycles as quickly as other vehicles, leading to dangerous moves such as turning in front of a bike. Bikers laying down their bikes or being thrown from them.
• Dangerous lane changes – Not matter how vigilant a biker might be, there are times when it is impossible to react in time to prevent an accident, which often is the case when a vehicle suddenly pulls into the lane where a bike is traveling.
• Pulling into the path of a motorcycle – Drivers usually give just a cursory glance before pulling into traffic and frequently will not notice a motorcycle approaching just before moving into the path of that bike.
• Failing to leave sufficient room between vehicles – Although there are times when a biker may choose to travel between rows of slowed or stopped cars, there also are many incidences where a vehicle driver will follow too closely behind a bike or pass a motorcycle with insufficient room to steer clear of the cycle, leading to a dangerous collision.

The following video provides the five most common causes of motorcycle accidents and how to avoid them.

One of the hardest things about motorcycle accident cases is the stigma when some people think about bikers. The perception of bikers as a group of people doing nefarious things is entirely false. Still, it requires skilled advocates to recognize this and ensure that it does not interfere with a person’s ability to recover to get necessary medical treatments, pay bills, and compensate for pain and suffering. The Carmichael Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at the Edward A Smith Law Offices know how to refute the stereotypes and build a strong case. This is especially important as victims of motorcycle accidents often suffer from severe injuries, including the following:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Fractured or broken bones
• Spinal injuries, including those that lead to paralysis
• Severe internal organ damage
• Extensive cuts and abrasions

Many people who have suffered harm after a motorcycle accident spend years recovering and never get past all the pain. The Carmichael Motorcycle Accident Attorneys also represent families who have lost loved ones in a motorcycle accident caused by another person’s negligence.