Summer is on the way and so is the time for long rides on a motorcycle. There is some good news on the Baltimore motorcycle accident front — the number of motorcyclists killed in crashes dropped to 5,172 in 2017, down from 5,337 in 2016 — a 3% decrease, but motorcycle riders are still overrepresented in traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident than are passengers in automobiles and six times as likely to be severely injured, based on 2014 fatal crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Many people assume that motor vehicles have the right of way – this is not true. A lot of people are also unaware that motorcycles have the same rights as the cars and trucks that use Maryland’s roads and highways.
NHTSA has urged motorcyclists to use common sense safety tips. Baltimore motorcycle enthusiasts should make themselves visible, wear study clothing, use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets and always ride sober.
Arms and legs should be completely covered when riding a motorcycle, ideally by wearing leather or heavy denim, NHTSA recommends. It only took one motorcycle accident and several months of getting gravel out of his skin before one Baltimore motorcyclist realized that he would never get on a bike unless he was properly clothed for the activity. Boots or shoes should be high enough to cover the ankles, while gloves allow for a better grip and help protect hands in the event of a crash. Wearing brightly colored clothing with reflective material makes Maryland motorcyclists more visible to other vehicle drivers.
Wearing the right motorcycle helmet can mean the difference between life and death. It is possible to find a safe helmet that is also comfortable, NHTSA says. The organization has lots of information on its website on how to find a safe helmet that is also a good fit. Don’t leave your helmet behind on short trips because it could be a deadly mistake, NHTSA says. Some motorcycle helmets, in addition to offering protection to your head in a crash, include plastic face shields that offer protection from wind, rain, insects, dust, and stones thrown up from cars. If your helmet doesn’t have a face shield, be sure you wear goggles because eyeglasses won’t keep your eyes from watering and can easily fall off, NHTSA suggests.
If there is a Baltimore City or Baltimore County motorcycle accident, there could be several avenues for the recovery of the expenses associated with a motorcycle crash. If there is a fatality, surviving family members may exercise their right to file a wrongful death claim in connection with the Baltimore motorcycle accident against those believed responsible for the death. Proving negligence in a civil court could result in a money judgment that could help surviving family members cover financial losses.
Bikers who survive the injuries they suffer in motorcycle accidents in Maryland are often left with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, paralysis, broken bones and lacerations. A Baltimore motorcycle accident attorney can explain the options available and how best to proceed when confronted with a motorbike accident and injuries in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and the surrounding Maryland counties.
If you have suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident in Baltimore or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed as a result of a motorcycle collision, you may be able to recover the money needed to pay for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages by making a claim against the other party involved in the accident or your insurance company. You can contact Thomas Maronick on his cellphone at 410-881-4022, the law office at 410-881-4022 or via our website for a free consultation.
