Motorcycle Safety Tips in Gainesville, Florida
Motorcycles require intricate knowledge and skill to ride safely. They provide little protection in the event of a crash, so you’ll understandably want to avoid putting yourself in danger while riding.
Knowing how to ride a motorcycle safely only makes up half the battle, though — you also need to understand how drivers interact with motorcycles. Drivers cause about 60% of collisions with motorcycles, so you also need to remain aware of the drivers around you to reduce your chances of a motorcycle accident.
Learn about some motorcycle safety tips for riding in Gainesville, Florida, and how to recover injury compensation if you get into a motorcycle accident.
How Allen Law Firm, P.A. Can Help After an Accident in Gainesville
Allen Law Firm, P.A. is one of the most well-established personal injury law firms in the Gainesville, FL, area. The firm’s Gainesville motorcycle accident lawyers have over 100 years of combined experience in injury law.
Since its founding over 15 years ago, the firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in injury compensation for its clients. Some notable case outcomes include $900,000, $1.3 million, and $2.8 million in litigated motorcycle accident settlements.
The firm can help with your motorcycle accident case in the following ways, to name just a few:
- Internally investigating your case to arrive at the full extent of your damages and to collect evidence
- Hiring experts to analyze and strengthen your claim, even testify on your behalf if necessary
- Negotiating a fair settlement and handling all communications and paperwork on your behalf
- Protecting you from allegations that you’re at fault for the accident
Motorcycle accidents almost always cause more serious injuries than car accidents, even if a helmet is worn. Contact Allen Law Firm, P.A. for a free consultation at (877) 255-3652 to discuss the compensation you can seek for your motorcycle accident injuries.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents in Gainesville, Florida?
Florida releases traffic crash data through the Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard. All the motorcycle accident statistics given below come from this source.
Gainesville incurred a total of 116 motorcycle crashes in 2021. With a population of about 140,000 residents, this means Gainesville had approximately 82.6 motorcycle crashes per 100,000 residents last year.
In comparison, Ocala had 99.9 motorcycle crashes per 100,000 residents in 2021, meaning motorcycle accidents happen less frequently in Gainesville than in Ocala.
Be that as it may, Gainesville’s motorcycle accident rate was still much higher than the statewide motorcycle accident rate. Overall, Florida had 54.4 motorcycle accidents per 100,000 residents.
Overview of Motorcycle Safety Tips in Gainesville, Florida
Most risks to motorcyclists come from automobile drivers. Collisions between motorcycles and automobiles happen for many reasons.
Crashes at intersections usually happen because of the following:
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Turning before traffic clears
Crashes between intersections usually happen due to:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Changing lanes without looking
Accidents at intersections usually cause more severe injuries than accidents between intersections. At intersections, the two vehicles usually travel toward each other or perpendicular to each other before the crash. As a result, they either collide head-on or at an angle.
These crashes can cause the most serious injuries, often ejecting the motorcyclist from the motorcycle and causing severe head, neck, and back injuries when they land.
Accidents between intersections often result in a sideswipe or rear-end collision. A sideswipe collision will often injure a motorcyclist’s limbs as the crash will cause the motorcycle to tip over and slide on its side. In contrast, a rear-end collision typically results in whiplash and a concussion.
Florida’s no-fault insurance system does not apply to motorcycles. If you get injured in a motorcycle accident, you must prove the other driver was at fault for the accident and file an insurance claim against them.
Here are some safety tips to avoid intersection and roadway collisions:
Stay Out of Drivers’ Blind Spots
According to the Florida Traffic Safety Dashboard, more than half of collisions in Gainesville happen on roadways between intersections since drivers often fail to spot motorcyclists when changing lanes. The smaller size of motorcycles makes them difficult to spot, and many automobile drivers simply do not look for motorcycles when driving.
Instead of riding next to vehicles, leave a gap between your vehicles by riding ahead or behind those in the next lane. This will make you more visible and allow you time to swerve if the driver changes lanes.
Exercise Caution at Intersections
The problem at intersections does not arise solely from a lack of visibility — it also comes from a cognitive bias against motorcycles. Drivers fail to accord motorcycles attentional significance, so they drive as if they aren’t there. In other words, a driver’s brain does not see a motorcycle as significant, so it will not register it as something to avoid while on the road.
Motorcyclists cannot change how drivers see them, but they can ride defensively based on the assumption that drivers will not see them. Make sure you leave yourself an escape route when you approach an intersection should a car turn across your path or pull out in front of you. Slow down to maneuver without causing your motorcycle to tip over or slide.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Gainesville Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents will happen even when the rider does everything right, often resulting in the rider suffering far more severe injuries than the driver who caused the accident. To discuss the compensation you’ll be able to seek from a driver who caused your motorcycle accident, contact Allen Law Firm, P.A, for a free consultation. The firm’s Gainesville motorcycle accident lawyers are standing by to help.
