New Jersey Bikers Often Face Risk From Distracted Driver Crashes

With warmer weather settling in, New Jersey residents are more inclined to travel for pleasure. As a result, those who choose to travel by motorcycle face an increased risk of becoming involved in a crash caused by an inattentive or distracted driver. There are hundreds of riders who wind up victims of a serious or fatal wreck due to the actions of another motorist.

According to the figures supplied by the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, more than 12,000 crashes involving motorcycles occurred between 2009 and 2013 throughout the state. There are an estimated 70 crashes every year that are fatal and approximately 2,000 that may involve injury or property damage. In 2013, approximately 69 percent of those crashes were not attributed to a rider suffering from impairment.

In many of these wrecks, the motorist involved was distracted or otherwise unaware of the presence of the motorcycle. Reportedly, the majority of these collisions take place at intersections or other areas where vehicles are turning across lanes. However, a serious or fatal accident can occur whenever a driver is not paying close attention to the actions of other drivers. One such collision recently took the life of a 65-year-old man when his motorcycle was rear ended by a driver who possibly failed to notice the rider had reduced his speed in anticipation of an upcoming turn.

One New Jersey organization stated that those who drive cars and larger vehicles are inadequately prepared to share the roads with motorcyclists. Furthermore, motorcyclists are advised to operate their machines in a defensive manner in order to avoid becoming a victim of an accident. Unfortunately, not every accident can be anticipated, and if a wreck is the result of a distracted driver, then there is often no warning. Victims who have suffered serious injuries in these types of wrecks are entitled to pursue a personal injury lawsuit against the parties deemed responsible.

Source: app.com, “A deadly start to prime motorcycle-riding season“, Katie Park, April 14, 2017