What is the link between distracted driving and motorbike accidents?
Driving while anything inside or outside the vehicle distracts you can put you at risk of an accident by taking your focus off of the road and the safe operation of your vehicle. Understanding distracted driving and motorcycle accidents means understanding what the connection is. Understanding the distraction can also help you prove the distraction was negligence-based and entitles you to recover financial compensation from the at-fault driver.
If you were injured in a recent motorcycle accident, a local motorcycle accident lawyer will pursue the at-fault party on your behalf. They will use the resources of their law firm to investigate your accident and identify the at-fault party and the specific negligence that led to the accident. Your lawyer can take on the appropriate insurance company and negotiate the best possible settlement for you.
What Types of Distracted Driving Behavior Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
Any type of distraction can be the cause of motorcycle accidents because they alter your focus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) information, the time it takes to read or send a text message can distract you for the same length of time it takes to drive the length of a football field. Distracted driving and motorcycle collisions can be avoided simply by focusing on the road.
Visual Distractions That Cause Motorcycle Accidents
A driver’s eyes should continually scan the roadway while you are driving. When they do not, it increases the risk factor for motorcycle crashes. Examples of visual distractions that lead to accidents include:
- Reading something in your hand
- Turning toward a passenger
- Turning toward back seat occupants
- Looking at rearview or side mirrors for an extended time
- Scanning CDs or other sources of entertainment to make a selection
- Scanning the temperature control settings
Searching any area of your car—front seat, back seat, or console—for dropped or lost objects is also a visual distraction. Avoiding these actions can help make the road safe for everyone.
Manual Distractions That Cause Motorcycle Accidents
Vehicle drivers’ hands belong on their steering wheels while their car is on the road. In a similar fashion, motorcyclists’ hands belong on their handlebars. If anything causes you to move your hands from their designated spots, it could prevent you from controlling your car when you need to.
Manual driving distractions include all of the following:
- Smoking cigars or cigarettes or vaping
- Eating or reaching for food or snacks
- Drinking from a straw or tipping your head back to drink
- Changing radio stations or CDs
- Using your cell phone to call or text
Distracted driving can also include setting or adjusting your GPS or other navigation system. If you are a motorcyclist injured by a distracted driver, your lawyer will document what distracted the driver.
Cognitive Distractions That Cause Motorcycle Accidents
Driving a car or motorcycle requires your complete focus and concentration while your car is in motion. Potential distractions caused by cognitive issues include the following:
- Driving while drowsy
- Driving under the influence
- Stress and fatigue
Cognitive distraction issues can also distract you enough to make you ignore—or simply not see—road signs, especially new ones. Cognitive impairments can also make you unaware of the dangers of faulty roads and inclement weather. They can also impair your response times and cause your reactions to slow.
The Costly Consequences of Distracted Driving and Motorcycle Accidents
fort lauderdale Motorcycle accidents lawyer are dangerous events, especially for the driver and passenger on the motorcycle. Injuries they sustain can require costly medical care, including rehab, therapy, assistive devices, and in-home medical support.
On an annual basis, west palm beach motorcycle accidents lawyer can result in billions of dollars in combined losses. Accidents like these can also result in long recovery periods that create extensive losses of productivity. When motorcycle accidents result in a loss of life, families can incur funeral, burial, or cremation costs and additional wrongful death damages.
Potential Compensation When Distractions Cause Motorcycle Accidents
The driver whose negligence caused your accident can be compelled to compensate you for the resulting financial harm.
- Motorcycle repair
- Motorcycle replacement
- Medical bills
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional anxiety
- Lasting impairment and disfigurement
If a lawyer handles your case, they make a compensation demand from the driver’s insurance company. They will also negotiate a financial settlement that resolves your case without a trial.
Call The Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato if You Were Injured in a Motorcycle Accident
If you or someone you love was injured, or a loved one was fatally injured in a recent Miami motorcycle accident lawyer, our law firm will pursue compensation. We also represent families who lost a loved one in a fatal motorcycle accident.
Learn more about distracted driving, motorcycle accidents, their connection, and your post-accident compensation rights. Get started now by contacting our consultation team at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato for your free case review today. Call us at (954) 633-8270.
