The Summer months are a prime time for motorcyclists to hit the road. They also are prime months for vacation travelers to be on the road and some of those drivers aren’t very good at sharing the road with motorcyclists. Many more crashes occur in June, July, and August than in other months. According to a 2014 study of injury claims by Progressive Insurance, the number of claims in July averages 78 percent higher than the average for the rest of the year.
There are certain things motorcyclists can do to decrease the chance of a crash, such as always assuming that cars to not see you, never riding in a car’s blind spot, always using turn signals, and never riding after drinking. But accidents still happen, especially in the Summer months and it’s always a good idea to be prepared.
Here are three things motorcyclists should have in case of an accident:
1. First, one of the most important items is something that helps a lot during a crash: Protective gear. Being free in the open air is a great attraction of riding, but riding without protective gear results in many motorcyclists getting severely injured every year. You can’t control the actions of other drivers on the road, but if you wear protective gear for your head and body, you have a better chance of walking away from a crash.
2. Motorcycle crashes often damage your bike and your body. If the crash was caused by another driver’s inattention or negligence, you are entitled to compensation and a great way to preserve evidence for your claim is by wearing a miniature helmet camera. Such cameras capture the car suddenly pulling out from a side street, the car making an unsafe lane change, or the car driving over the center line. You will have a record of what happened on your helmet cam.
3. If you’re involved in a crash it is a good idea to be carrying identification listing your name, emergency contacts, and any special medical conditions or allergies to medications. It could be in the form of a card you carry on you or in the form of an identification bracelet such as RoadID which is easy to put on and take off.
If you or someone you know has been in a motorcycle crash, contact an experienced Boise motorcycle injury lawyer to protect your interests and your legal rights.
Thanks to our friend and blog author, Thomas H. Anderson of Anderson Law, for his insight into motorcycle accident safety.