These 4 Wrecks Make Up Most Motorcycle Crashes
In Texas, and around the country, motorcyclists are especially at risk. The small size and lack of awareness by other drivers mean that when you ride on two wheels, you have to be cautious. There are plenty of ways to get in a wreck on your bike, these four refer to those where you, the motorcycle rider, are the victim and the other motorist is at fault.
Keep reading as the Car Crash Captain explains the Texas law and the four types of motorcycle crashes you’ll want to watch out for.
Lane-Change or Sideswipe Crashes
When a vehicle moves into your lane without warning or clearance, it can cause a sideswipe accident. These can happen at any speed, with the greater speeds leading to a more dangerous and deadly accident. Texas transportation code states that drivers must stay within their lane unless it’s safe to move, and when crossing the lines, they have to use their signal. In other words, if you’re already in that lane, and someone merges into you, they’re almost certainly the at-fault driver.
Rear-End Collisions
Getting rear-ended almost always happens at a stop light, or in stop-and-go traffic. Another driver isn’t paying attention, and can’t stop in time. Texas has what’s call a rebuttal presumption: the striking driver is presumed to be at fault unless they prove otherwise. This means that if you pulled out immediately in front of them, and they can show they didn’t have time to stop, you would be at fault. Read more about rear-end collisions on a motorcycle.
T-Bone or Side-Impact Crashes
Most fatal motorcycle accidents are side-impact crashes. They occur when the motorcycle is traveling straight, and the other motorist turns left in front of them. The most common excuse when this happens is, “I didn’t see the motorcycle.” That does not, of course, eliminate liability. When you’re riding, watch for vehicles turning left in front of you, and assume they don’t see you coming.
Dooring Accidents
When a driver swings their door open into the lane with traffic, things can go bad quickly. You’ve seen it in the movies, where a driver opens their door and a bicyclist gets nailed – usually in a comedic way. When it happens in real life, however, there’s nothing funny about it. Texas transportation code states that drivers may not open their vehicle into a lane of traffic unless it’s clear to do so, and they can’t leave it open longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.
Herbert Law Group Helps Motorcycle Accident Victims
Even if one of these four types of motorcycle crashes didn’t happen to you, if you were injured in a wreck, you need a lawyer. Herbert Law Group has a long history of helping motorcycle accident victims find the justice they deserve.
There’s no reason you should struggle to heal, deal with insurance, and figure out how to get around all on your own. You should focus on recovering from your injuries, and letting us handle the hard stuff.
Call our offices at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we’ll have a free conversation to see how we can help you recover.