The cultural perception of motorcyclists – crafted by exposure to representations of these individuals in television and film – is largely negative. They are viewed by many people as social misfits who are reckless thrill-seekers. Or, worse yet, they are assumed to be afoul of the law. This often leads to unfair and inaccurate judgments about those individuals who choose to ride a motorcycle rather than to accept a more conventional form of transportation. While there are certainly some motorcyclists who exhibit the characteristics that people assume are shared among them all, the reality is that motorcyclists are as diverse a group as any other and it would be unreasonable to apply a universal set of traits and behaviors to them all. This is perhaps never as important as when attempting to investigate or resolve the circumstances that caused a motorcycle accident.

As is the case with all motorists and motorcyclists, there are some elements of vehicular operation and safety that are under one’s own control. But there are many more that are not within the capacity of a motorcyclist to do anything about. This is a troubling imbalance, to be sure, and it often prompts a rider to pay special attention to the task of safely operating his or her bike. Accidents that occur despite a skilled and experienced rider’s best efforts, however, may provide grounds for the pursuit of a civil lawsuit against the person or party whose negligent actions or behaviors caused the motorcycle crash.

Potential Sources of Motorcycle Danger

The aforementioned cultural misunderstanding of motorcyclists is sadly a factor that indirectly causes many motorcycle accidents. Motorists who are operating passenger cars and trucks often tend to disregard the fact that motorcyclists are entitled to be on the roadway and fail to safely share the space with them. In contrast to the preconceived notions that one might have, in the majority of multiple vehicle collisions involving a motorcycle, the other motorist’s failure to yield or even to take not of a rider’s presence is the proximate cause of the accident.

A few of the potential sources of danger for a motorcyclist are:

• Roadway defects
• Tire defects
• Motorcycle defects or malfunctions
• Defective motorcycle helmets
• Seat defects
• Negligent driving by others
• Excessive speed
• Aggressive and reckless driving, such as following too close or passing without adequate space between vehicles

Protecting Motorcyclists’ Rights

Motorcyclists are granted the same legal protections as other drivers, and it is important that you understand the potential benefits of legal action if you have been injured by another party’s negligence.