Nearly 5,200 people were killed in a traffic collision while riding a motorcycle in 2017. While this represents a small decrease from the year before, it’s still too many fatalities. In South Carolina, as temperatures start to warm, you’ll see more motorcycles on the road, and that means the risk of accidents rises. In 2016, South Carolina had 185 motorcycle-related fatalities. Motorcycle rallies like Myrtle Beach Bike Week and Atlantic Beach Bike Fest can contribute to the rise in accidents and fatalities since there is a significantly higher number of motorcycles on the road.
South Carolina felt motorcycle accidents were enough of a concern to start a Motorcycle Safety Program aimed at educating people on safe riding habits while teaching other people to look out for a motorcycle on the road. The four main elements the program tried to drive home were:
- Obey the legal speed limit
- Ride defensively
- Wear proper protective gear
- Ride sober
The absence of safety barriers between the motorcycle rider and other vehicles can contribute to motorcycle accidents with severe injuries and fatalities. If you or someone you love was injured a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligence, you need to contact a Rock Hill motorcycle accident attorney right away. At the Elrod Pope Law Firm, we focus on handling motorcycle accidents and other personal injury claims.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Distracted driving is a common cause for vehicle accidents. This is an even bigger danger for motorcycle riders since they are smaller than passenger vehicles and can’t maneuver as easily in the event of an emergency. When the driver of a vehicle is texting or engaging in other activities that are taking their attention away from driving, it’s an even greater danger for motorcycle riders. Distracted driving is such a problem in South Carolina that the state has enacted its own distracted driving laws.
Most people think about texting and driving when they hear distracted driving, but it can involve activities like eating or drinking, paying attention to someone in or outside of the vehicle, or even moving controls inside the vehicle. Perhaps the vehicle driver was looking at the GPS or changing music on the control screen when they hit your loved one.
Motorcycle Accidents Involve Serious Injuries
Unfortunately, the freedom that comes with riding a motorcycle comes with a major drawback. You don’t have airbags to protect you, nor do you have a seatbelt. Other vehicles are designed to protect the occupants during a collision, and the vehicles absorb the brunt of the impact. With a motorcycle, the rider’s body is often the contact point with the vehicle. This results in far more serious injuries in many cases. It’s not uncommon to see brain injuries, burns, deep lacerations, spinal cord injuries, and more with a motorcycle collision.
Retaining a South Carolina Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Because there are typically serious injuries involved with a motorcycle collision, it’s not uncommon that the at-fault party’s insurance coverage isn’t adequate to cover all of the medical bills, let alone any pain and suffering. There may be other avenues for recovery, which is why it’s important you retain a South Carolina motorcycle accident attorney. Contact the Elrod Pope Law Firm today at 803-599-3080 to schedule a consultation.
