Pennsylvania offers some great rides for motorcyclists who enjoy green country sides and towering cityscapes. Philadelphia and Center City have plenty of great loops to travel, but those streets and highways will always carry big-city dangers.
Traffic congestion and distracted drivers can lead to some scary situations for riders. And one of the most common hazards for anyone on a motorcycle is when another motorist is making a left-hand turn. For some reason, drivers can completely miss seeing an oncoming motorcyclist and turn right in front of them, leading to a dangerous impact.
Support for Victims in Philadelphia Motorcycle Accidents
If you were on your bike and forced into a serious accident by an inattentive driver, that at-fault driver should be held responsible for the consequences. The Pearce Law Firm of Philadelphia protects the rights of motorcycle accident victims and their families after a tragic collision.
Insurance Companies like to blame motorcycle riders for accidents, even when it’s clear that a distracted motorist created the hazard that led to a crash. A local attorney fighting on your side to get compensation for things like hospital bills and missed time from work can help ensure you can take time to heal and get back on your bike again.
The Dangers of Left Turn Motorcycle Accidents
Any time a motorcycle comes in contact with another motor vehicle the potential for a severe injury is always high. Motorcyclists ride in the open air with very little protection and most significant collisions send them from their bikes.
The consequences can be lethal as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation accident numbers prove each year. In the statistics the DOT collected for 2019, motorcycle accidents were responsible for 17% of the fatalities seen on Pennsylvania roads over the year.
Contributing to these extreme numbers is the “left turn” accident hazard for riders on the road. The situation will be familiar to experienced riders. Motorists in a car, truck, or SUV are trying to make a left-hand turn and in the stress of making their move, fail to see the rider coming from the opposite direction.
The motorcyclist is right in front of them, but somehow an inattentive driver misses the smaller vehicle and turns in front of the rider. At this point, anyone on a motorcycle unexpectedly has the full length of a vehicle in front of them. It’s often too little warning for the motorcyclist to stop and avoid a dangerous collision.
It’s partly a mystery why so many drivers miss seeing motorcycles sharing the lanes with them. Even when bikes have their headlights on. There are some common reasons motorists making left-hand turns are such a threat to riders:
- Stressful and Complex Turns: Left turns do require more thought than most other driving maneuvers on the road. Drivers generally have to visually assess more lanes of traffic and more obstacles at once. Those obstacles can include people in crosswalks, stopped cars, parked cars, and speeding cars. The sensory overload can force motorists into a bad decision. That can be especially true for drivers distracted by their phones or their passengers.
- Longer turns and the urge to “step on it”: Left Turns usually cover more pavement, take longer and there’s more space in which to build up speed. That can mean more blunt force in any collisions. The wait while a line of cars pass can make drivers edgy and tempt them to hit the gas pedal hard when they perceive an opening. In this rush, they can fail to notice a motorcycle traveling along with other vehicles.
- Visibility: The stress of that turn can increase the tendency of drivers to block out anything smaller than a car. The mind might only be focusing on bigger objects. The smaller size of the motorcycle may also lead an inattentive driver to misjudge distance.
Compensation After a Motorcycle Accident
If an at-fault driver and his or her insurance company don’t seem to want to take all of the blame in the accident or take your injuries seriously, a claim for damages might be the only path to getting help with your bills in the aftermath of an accident.
A local attorney can help you file this civil lawsuit and gather evidence to support your case. Around 90% of these claims get settled out of court. Your attorney can help you decide if a settlement is fair and if it will properly cover your expenses now and in the future. If your case does result in a civil trial an attorney will make sure you’re well prepared to hold those responsible for your accident liable.
In a positive outcome in court or a reasonable settlement, you can expect compensation for many of the hardships you’ve suffered in recovery:
- Hospital and medical expenses.
- Earnings you’ve lost from missing work.
- Costs associated with a permanent physical disability such as an amputation or a limp, or a disfigurement.
- Emotional Distress. A claim might earn you money towards counseling and psychological services.
- Damage or destruction of property.
- Physical pain and suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
Contact a Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
We want safe rides for every motorcyclist but at times careless drivers make accidents unavoidable. If you are facing a long recovery after a serious injury contact a highly rated Philadelphia Motorcycle Accident Lawyer such as Edith Pearce. Edith Pearce is personally involved in every case that we handle. She genuinely cares about her clients and you will not be treated like just another case or file.
