Motorcycles vs. Cars

In Florida, motorcycles and cars share the roads every day. Unfortunately, car drivers sometimes fail to give motorcycle riders the respect they deserve. This can lead to motorcycle accidents that cause serious injury or even death.

If you or a loved one was involved in a motorcycle accident with another vehicle, a Florida motorcycle accident attorney can help.  At Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney, we represent motorcyclists hurt in car wrecks and help them to understand their legal rights.

We also represent the surviving family members of those killed in motorcycle accidents in South Florida and throughout the Treasure Coast and assist them in seeking compensation from the motorist responsible for their loss.

Find out how we can help you today by calling us at 1-800-299-8878  or sending in our online form. We are available to provide free consultations.

How Do Cars Endanger Motorcycle Riders?

Drivers of passenger cars make a number of different kinds of mistakes or errors when they encounter a motorcycle rider on the road.

Some of the most risky behaviors exhibited by drivers when it comes to sharing the road with a motorcyclist include:

• Driver’s failure to yield to motorcycle’s right of way — A five-year analysis from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that 35 percent of fatal crashes between cars and motorcycles involved a car driver who did not yield the right of way. “Failure to yield” can include cutting off motorcyclists.
  
• Distracted driving among car operators — The NHTSA study also showed that in fatal collisions between motorcycles and passenger vehicles, 5 percent of car drivers were inattentive, compared to only 3.2 percent of motorcyclists with the same behavior.
• Drivers making improper turn — About 4.7 percent of car drivers made an improper turn, compared to only 0.9 percent of motorcyclists with the same behavior, according to the NHTSA’s motorcycle vs. car collision analysis.
• Drivers tailgating or following a motorcyclist too closely behind – Tailgating is always dangerous. The Share the Road Campaign urges drivers to leave a three- or four-second following distance to give motorcycle riders the space they need. Motorcyclists may need to respond more quickly and definitively to things like a change in the road’s surface, which is why this space is needed.
• Drivers failing to detect or recognize motorcycles – Drivers sometimes simply fail to see motorcycle riders until it is too late.
• Improper passing – Motorcyclists are guilty of this, themselves, in many cases. They may dart in and out of cars or pass when it is not safe. Drivers in passenger cars, too, may believe that they can pass in many different situations that involve encroaching on the space of the motorcycle rider.
• Lane sharing – Motorcyclists should have their own space within a lane just as a car does. Unfortunately, sometimes motorcyclists try to ride beside a vehicle or will ride in between cars. If a driver doesn’t notice the motorcyclist doing this, disaster can result.
• Drivers misjudging the speed of motorcycle riders – Because of their small size, it can be difficult for drivers to make accurate assumptions about how close a motorcycle is or how fast the motorcycle riders is going. This can lead to a wreck, especially at intersections.
• Drivers missing motorcycles in their blind spots – Again, the small size of motorcycles increases the chance of this occurring and of the driver causing a wreck as a result.

In these and many other situations, a driver of a passenger car may make a mistake or a careless choice and cause a wreck with a motorcyclist. When this happens, it is often the motorcycle rider who pays the ultimate price. As 2020 data from the NHTSA indicate, motorcycle rider fatalities are six times as high as car occupant fatalities.

Motorcycle Accidents Can Happen Anywhere

Motorcycles and cars must share the road safely to avoid deadly wrecks. Unfortunately, the car vs. motorcycle issue be found on every road throughout the state of Florida, from quiet back roads to major highways.

For instance, the NHTSA analysis indicates that over 90 percent of car vs. motorcycle collisions occurred on non-interstate roads in both rural and urban areas. The total number of crashes was split evenly between intersections and non-intersections.

Drivers and motorcyclists, therefore, must always be vigilant and cautious on busy roads and on quiet roads. A single mistake is all it takes for a wreck to occur.

Get Help Today from a Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Drivers of passenger cars have a duty to exercise reasonable caution behind the wheel in order to avoid causing a wreck that injures anyone, including motorcyclists.  If a driver falls short of fulfilling this duty, and serious injury or death results, the driver can be required to pay compensation.

At Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney, we help those who have been hurt or who have lost loved ones. We are dedicated to seeking the compensation available under Florida’s car accident laws.

To learn more about how we can put our legal knowledge and experience with motorcycle accident cases to work for you, give us a call at 1-800-299-8878 or use our online form to schedule a no-cost consultation. Our firm serves clients throughout South Florida and have offices in Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach, Okeechobee, Palm Beach Gardens and West Palm Beach.

Sources:

• Fatal Two-Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Facts + Statistics: Motorcycle Crashes, Insurance Information Institute
• Motorcycles, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety