New York City Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Motorcycle And Moped Accidents
“It is ironic that the very reason riding a motorcycle or moped can be so exhilarating
is also the reason motorcycle and moped accidents can be so disastrous. It is your
freedom from a car’s “cage” that makes you so vulnerable in an accident.”
– Glenn A. Herman Manhattan Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
How Motorcycle Accidents Happen
According to studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly
75% of all motorcycle accidents and 50% of fatal accidents involve two vehicles. The
second is usually a car, and the motorcyclist almost always fares worse.
The most common factors in motorcycle accidents include:
- Inexperienced riders or drivers
- Speeding
- Alcohol & drugs
- Distractions (texting, talking on a cell phone, eating)
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Not using a turn signal
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Tailgating
- Lane splitting
- Poor weather conditions
- Unexpected obstacles
- Under-cornering
- Over braking
- Vehicle defects
- Road defects (potholes, broken asphalt)
- Harassment and road rage
- Failing to wear protective gear (helmet, leather)
Moped Accidents in NYC
In New York, the safety and insurance requirements for mopeds depends on which
Department of Motor Vehicle class your moped falls into. The chart below shows
which mopeds or electric bikes need to be registered. All Class A, Class B and Class
C Mopeds require that you have a license to drive and must be registered with the
DMV and have license plates and insurance.
If you are involved in an accident, you should seek necessary medical treatment
immediately. Even if you are not injured, it is important that you call the police and
file a formal police report which can later assist with insurance claims and any
lawsuits which may follow.During this time, you will be required to show your driver’s license and
documentation of your insurance coverage. It is important that you obtain this
information from the other driver as well. If you have a camera, you should take a
photo of the scene, your injuries and any damage to your vehicle and the other
vehicles involved. You should also contact your insurance carrier as soon as
possible so they can instruct you on the necessary steps to file your claim.In New York, when you are a driver or passenger involved in a car accident or you
are a pedestrian or bicyclist struck by a car, you are entitled to New York State No
Fault Insurance benefits. No-Fault Insurance usually pays most of your hospital and
doctor bills and lost wages if you cannot return to work. If you are operating a
Moped or a Motorcycle, however, New York State No Fault Insurance will not apply
in most cases. Your medical and hospital bills will need to be paid by your private
health insurance.Payment for damage to your Moped or Motorcycle will depend upon whether you
carried collision coverage or you could be paid by the insurance company of the
vehicle that caused the damage. This will depend on whether the other vehicle is at
fault or responsible for causing the collision.
Nyc Motorcycle Accident Stats
The New York City Department of Transportation Office of Research, Implementation &
Safety (NYCDOT) conducted a comprehensive study 1 that examined the state of
Motorcycle safety in the five boroughs. A review of motorcycle crash data in New York
City revealed the following:
Motorcyclists in New York City are at disproportionate risk of death
- Only 2 percent of registered vehicles in New York City are motorcycles, yet from 2010-14, motorcyclists accounted for 14 percent of traffic fatalities in New York City.
- New York City’s fatal crash rate for motorcyclists is nearly twice the rate for New York State motorcyclists.
Who
- 43 percent of fatality cases involved a motorcycle rider who was not properly licensed to operate the vehicle.
- 56 percent of motorcycle rider fatalities were under the age of 35.
- Nearly 100 percent of motorcycle fatalities are male riders.
When
- Motorcycle injury crashes are more likely to occur during afternoon or evening hours, and on weekends.
- The number of motorcycle injury crashes increases dramatically during summer months.
- Excessive alcohol use was less prevalent in motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes than in most motor vehicle driver fatalities in New York City, or in national motorcycle rider fatalities.
Where
- Unlike pedestrian and motor vehicle KSI (Killed or Seriously Injured) crashes, motorcycle KSI crashes reveal few crash “hotspots.”
- The majority of motorcycle fatality crashes occur on city streets, rather than highways.
How
- Motorcycle injury crashes are likely to involve another vehicle, not only the motorcycle rider.
- The collision types most often cited in motorcycle injury crashes indicate that visibility is an issue for motorcyclists and motor vehicle drivers.
Motorcyclists face similar safety challenges across the U.S. In 2014, there were 4,586
motorcycle fatalities in the United States, accounting for 14 percent of all U.S. traffic
fatalities.
Location and Roadway Type
In order to determine if there was a geographic concentration of motorcycle crashes,
NYCDOT mapped motorcycle fatalities using GIS software. This method has proven
useful in determining crash prone intersections or corridors for other modes in New York
City, especially for pedestrians. However, an analysis of motorcycle fatal and severe
injury crash data revealed that these crashes tend to be fairly evenly distributed across the City. Unlike fatal and serious injury pedestrian crashes, a hotspot analysis does not
provide much insight into how to increase safety for motorcyclists. An analysis was also conducted of the number of motorcycle fatalities in each borough
based on the total number of motorcycle registrations per borough. The Bronx and Brooklyn had the highest rate of motorcycle fatalities based on the number of registrations. Queens and Staten Island had the highest rate of fatalities by population.
HOW A LAWYER CAN HELP AFTER AN NYC MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
The High Cost Of Motorcycle and Moped Accidents
In most cases it is the front of the motorcycle or moped that is hit. This is also the
point of impact that results in the most incapacitating and fatal injuries. If you have
been in a motorcycle or moped accident, you may already have a good idea of its
cost, including physical and emotional pain, expensive medical bills, lost wages and
property damage.Identifying every potential factor in an accident is important in determining who is
at fault or what percent each is at fault and who is financially responsible.
Fault can be a complex question on which you, the other driver, police and
emergency responders, and insurance companies do not agree. It is even further
complicated if there were equipment failures, poor road conditions, public vehicles,
or obstacles involved.An experienced motorcycle or moped accident attorney can help you:
- Understand your legal options
- Conduct an investigation into the accident
- Challenge the police report’s findings
- Help prevent insurance companies from settling too soon
- Ensure that your long-term medical, psychological and financial needs are identified
- Fight for compensation
Recovering from a motorcycle or moped accident can be a long, hard road. And it is
a road you should not head down alone.
Speak With An Experienced New York City Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today
We Fight For Your Maximum Injury Compensation
Our New York City motorcycle accident lawyers take the time to learn every aspect of your case
during our initial meeting in order to properly evaluate the full extent of the damages you or a loved one have suffered.
Our personal injury law firm in NYC, NY also provides:
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