A recent study shows that in less than a year, Illinois has surpassed California to become the most dangerous state for motorcycle crashes in the country. Many suspected to be the cause for this dramatic increase in fatalities are Illinois Department of Transportation’s poorly designed and difficult to navigate motor vehicle laws. The majority of accident victims were riding in an unsafe location, like a lane too narrow for their bike or against traffic. Many motorcycle-related injuries and fatalities were also caused either by crashes with other vehicles or with other motorcyclists. When the car’s speed was the main cause of injury, the victim was either ejected from their bike or dragged under it.
Motorcycle accidents can sometimes cause severe injuries to the riders. People who are injured in motorcycle accidents may wonder what they should do to recover. The medical expenses associated with motorcycle accidents can be very high. Therefore, it is essential to hire a Rockford personal injury attorney to ensure that you get maximum compensation.
We will now see the common causes of motorcycle accidents in Rockford.
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Speeding
Most motorcycle accidents are mainly caused by reckless driving. Many people will drive their vehicles in a way that is dangerous or illegal. This can lead to a lot of accidents. The most common accident that involves speeding is rear-end collisions. Motorcycles do not have the same protection as cars do, and they are exposed to more risks when they are hit from behind.
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Alcohol use
Alcohol and motorcycles don’t usually mix together very well. This is a bigger problem when the motorcyclist is younger than the people they are driving around with. In fact, according to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol was involved in 25% of all motorcycle fatalities in 2007 alone.
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Distracted driving
Distracted driving is always a major cause of accidents. People who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs are incredibly dangerous, as they can’t pay attention to what they are doing. People who use cell phones while driving are also very dangerous, as they may be too far away from their destination and fail to notice when a car approaches them from the opposite direction.
- Other drivers failing to see motorcyclists while changing lanes or making turns
Many drivers fail to see motorcycles when they are changing lanes or turning. This can happen for a variety of reasons, and it is only getting worse as the number of motorcycles on the road increase. Many motorcycles have small engines and are hard to hear and see, so it is important for drivers to be aware of bikes on the road.
