Benton County, AR Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Benton County and all of northwest Arkansas offer picturesque and challenging route for motorcyclists to travel. Regardless of whether you are riding for pleasure or simply to get from point A to point B, riding a motorcycle is one of the most enjoyable ways to travel. That is, few vehicles can match the power, responsiveness, and road feel of a motorcycle. As anyone who has ever ridden can tell you, there are few things as empowering as cruising down the road on your Harley or sport bike and enjoying the sights, sounds, and events happening around you.
While motorcycles are undoubtedly exciting and fun vehicles to ride, they do lag behind passenger cars, SUVs, and trucks in terms of safety features. For many, this trade-off is well worth it. However, accidents and injuries can and do happen. If your motorcycle accident was caused by the carelessness, recklessness, or negligence of another driver, Ken Kieklak, Attorney at Law can fight for compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Why Do Motorcycle Accident Occur?
Like with any other type of accident, motorcycle accidents can occur for a broad array of reasons. However, there are certain unique aspects inherent in a bike’s design that can increase he odds of a collision or other type of accident. These factors include:
- Reduced vehicle profile, reduces visibility – As anyone who has seen a motorcycle, car, ad truck can tell you, a motorcycle is a much smaller vehicle with a significantly reduced profile compared to that of a typical passenger vehicle. Because the motorcycle is a smaller vehicle it is less noticeable to other motorists. Furthermore, other vehicles may conceal the presence of a motorcycle until a collision is imminent. The reduced conspicuity of a motorcycle is a common contributing factor when the accident occurs at an intersection.
- Distracted driving – There have always been distractions while driving. However, in today’s world those distraction have proliferated and now includes everything from bickering children in the back seat to cellphones, in-vehicle entertainment systems, and everything in between. A distracted driver perceives threats more slowly and cannot react as quickly.
- Traffic violations – Drivers expect other motorists to follow the rules of the road regardless of the vehicle one is traveling in. When drivers speed, cut in and out of lanes, fail to signal or take other careless or reckless actions, the odds of an accident increases.
- Alcohol, prescription, or illegal drug use – Alcohol, legal drugs, and illegal drugs can alter our perception of the world. We may not react as quickly or we may process information more slowly. The operation of machinery or a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is illegal and greatly increases the chance of a collision.
- Poor weather conditions – Rain, snow, sleet, and hail can all impact driving conditions by increasing stopping distances and decreasing visibility. Drivers should proceed cautiously in conditions like these.
- Vehicle defects – If 2014’s “Year of Recalls” has taught us anything, it is that vehicles – even popular ones – can have dangerous and deadly defects. Motorists should check with their dealer about defects and other problems with their motorcycle or other vehicle that can increase the risk of an accident.
While the foregoing captures many of the reasons accidents occur, each and every accident is unique and it should be analyzed independently.
Why Are Motorcycle Accidents Often More Severe than Comparable Car & Truck Accidents?
Motorcycles are agile and nimble vehicles that can avoid hazards more easily than many other passenger vehicles, but when an accident does occur the consequences are typically more severe. One of these reasons is that motorcycles lack many of the safety features that have become standard on passenger vehicles. For instance, a motorcycle lacks airbags, seatbelts, crumple zones, side curtain airbags, and other safety technologies. The lack of these systems can mean that the consequences of a collision are more severe. In fact, NHTSA statistics show that a motorcyclist has a 34 times greater chance of a fatal injury relative to the passengers of a passenger vehicle.
Experienced Benton County Motorcycle Accident Attorney Serving Arkansas & Beyond
Ken Kieklak is committed to fighting for responsible hard working people who have suffered a serious injury due to another person’s negligence or recklessness. If you have suffered a serious motorcycle injury, contact Ken Kieklak today. To schedule a free and confidential motorcycle accident consultation call (479) 316-0438 today or contact us online.