Lane Change Accidents

Were You Hit by Someone Making a Dangerous Lane Change?

Drivers of passenger vehicles and trucks both have blind spots in their side and rearview mirrors. To safely execute a lane change, a driver must first do a head check - physically turn the head to look over the left or right shoulder to ensure the lane is clear. Drivers who fail to do this, or fail to register the presence of a motorcycle in traffic, can lead to accidents and serious or fatal injuries to motorcycle riders when they change lanes.

Riders can sustain serious injuries in a motorcycle or moped crash even when travelling at slow speeds, which would only result in a minor collision for a passenger vehicle. Cars and trucks provide the protection of an enclosed vehicle, which motorcycles lack. Although conscientious riders try to stay alert to drivers who violate their right-of-way, an unsafe lane change by a passenger vehicle driver could result in an unavoidable crash.

If you have been the victim of such an accident, the first action to take is to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Our motorcycle accident lawyers at The Husband & Wife Law Team are happy to provide a free case evaluation and discuss your options under the law.

How Unsafe Lane Changes Cause Motorcycle Collisions

Lane-splitting, or riding between the lanes of traffic, is illegal in Arizona. While a majority of motorcycle riders follow the laws, some endanger others by lane-splitting. However, motorcycle accidents are more often the fault of the vehicle driver. Drivers have large blind spots, due to the way cars are constructed. When making a turn or merging into another lane, drivers must check these blind spots before moving their car to the side. When they neglect to do this, or neglect to really pay attention when they do check, it can lead to a serious lane change accident.

Drivers may also willfully cause a lane change accident. Some drivers dislike motorcycles, because there is a perception that those on motorcycles break traffic laws or otherwise behave dangerously. This is, of course, untrue. But the animosity may lead to a driver speeding up when a motorcyclist tries to merge, which can also lead to a catastrophic crash.

Ultimately, when large passenger vehicles or trucks make unsafe lane changes without signaling or looking, it can put motorcycle riders at great risk of injury or death. The motorcyclists may be sideswiped or forced into a dangerous maneuver to avoid being hit, leading to a deadly wreck. The rider may have to speed up or slow down quickly or change lanes suddenly, which could result in loss of control or an accident with another vehicle while moving in heavy traffic.

The Danger of Lane Change Accidents

When motorcycles and passenger vehicles meet, the passenger vehicle is always the one that wins. Cars can weigh upwards of 5,000 pounds; they have four, protective metal walls, as well as airbags and seatbelts to keep passengers safe. Motorcycles, on the other hand, are small, and have next to no safety features. The motorcycle rider is completely exposed to the road and to the cars around him. In the case of a lane change accident, the biker could be flung from his motorcycle and hit the ground. From there, he could be hit or run over by other cars in the road. Needless to say, the injuries suffered by the motorcyclist would be catastrophic, such as:

• Broken bones

• Loss of limb or amputation

• Brain damage

• Road rash

• Catastrophic burns

• Organ damage and internal bleeding

• Spine injuries

• Severe lacerations

• Crush injuries

Recovering from any of these injuries takes a great deal of time, and even when the injury has healed, you may still be left with a lifelong disability. That is, if you survive the accident. Countless motorcycle riders lose their lives every year due to negligent drivers who don’t check their blind spots. In such a case, the family would file a wrongful death claim, instead of a personal injury one. However, whatever claim you end up filing, it will be an uphill battle to overcome the deep bias against motorcycle riders.

Biases Against Motorcycle Riders

There is a stigma in our society that motorcycle riders are risk takers and daredevils. This perception makes motorcycle accident claims incredibly difficult. Insurance companies will do everything they can to avoid paying proper compensation, and one of their many tricks is to pin the blame on the accident victim. This is especially prevalent in motorcycle v. passenger vehicle collisions.

The insurance company will lean into the perception that you are someone who takes risks and doesn’t follow rules. They will likely claim that you broke traffic laws by not following the right-of-way, speeding, or lane-splitting, which is illegal in all states except for California. Whatever the circumstances around the accident, the insurance company will try to at least partially blame you. That is why you need an excellent motorcycle accident attorney.

Phoenix Motorcycle Lane Change Accident Case Verdicts:

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Free Consultation Regarding Your Lane Change Accident

It is important to act fast after a serious motorcycle crash caused by another driver's negligence. Time is of the essence because evidence in your case must be collected and preserved.

Our motorcycle lane change accident attorneys at The Husband & Wife Law Team can investigate your collision and gather evidence, including police reports, photographs of the scene, call upon forensic specialists, review medical records, and carefully evaluate all eyewitness testimony. We can build a powerful case, based on the evidence, and fight for the compensatory damages you deserve, during the period you are recovering from your injuries. Contact us for a free case evaluation to find out how we can help after a motorcycle accident that left you or a loved one with serious injuries.