Many vehicle accidents, especially in the spring, involved both passenger cars and motorcycles. But motorcyclists have far less protection than those in cars, so the odds of being injured or killed in these accidents are vastly higher. In fact, this is what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had to say after a recent study:
“Per vehicle miles traveled in 2021, motorcyclists were about 24 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were 4 times more likely to be injured.”
Because the injury and fatality rates are so much higher than they are for almost all other vehicles, it’s crucial that motorcyclists understand how these accidents take place. One of the most common is the left turn accident.
Who is turning left?
Certainly, there are accidents when motorcyclists are turning left, but this crash refers to when someone else turns in front of the bike.
For instance, maybe a pick-up truck is driving down a two-lane road toward a motorcycle when the driver realizes they have to turn left into a driveway. The driver makes a mistake, turning when the motorcycle is far too close instead of waiting for it to pass by, and the motorcyclist can’t avoid the crash. Their only options are to hit the turning vehicle or swerve into oncoming traffic. The result is a very sudden violent collision.
What are your legal options?
If you are a motorcyclist and you get injured because of another driver’s mistake, you know that it’s not your fault. Just make sure that you also know how you can seek financial compensation for medical bills and related costs.