Florida Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Explains How Road Conditions Affect Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycling already carries higher risks than driving a car or truck. Hazardous road conditions heighten those risks since motorcyclists are far more impacted by changes in the roadway. We’ll explore common hazardous road conditions and how they affect motorcycle accidents. If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident due to hazardous road conditions, you may be eligible for compensation for your injuries. We encourage you to contact our Orlando motorcycle accident attorneys to protect your rights.
Types of Hazardous Road Conditions
Many car and truck drivers don’t have to think much about debris, standing water, or bumpy roads since they can often drive through them with little trouble. The most they might think about is whether debris like glass might puncture their tires.
But for motorcyclists, road conditions that other drivers barely blink at can be far more dangerous. We’ll explore each of the most common types of hazardous road conditions and how they may cause or impact the outcome of a motorcycle accident.
Debris in the Roadway
Anything that should not be in the road – but is – can be considered debris. This includes fallen tree limbs, blown-out tire material, broken glass, trash, and objects (both large and small) that have fallen from trucks or cars.
Each of these kinds of debris creates a dangerous situation for motorcyclists. If you suddenly encounter debris while on a motorcycle and cannot safely avoid it, the impact may lead to you losing balance or control of your bike or being thrown over the handlebars. In either case, your impact with the ground or other objects around you may lead to cuts, scrapes, broken bones, head injuries, or even death.
Bumpy Roads
The dips and bumps of an uneven road surface are dangerous for motorcyclists. Since motorcyclists must maintain balance and control over their bikes, any kind of change in the road surface can cause them to lose their balance. If they lose balance completely, they may experience severe injuries when they hit the ground.
Standing Water
Many roads have dips where water can accumulate after rain. Even car drivers can be startled by these puddles and their increased risk of hydroplaning, which occurs when tires lose contact with the road’s surface, causing the driver to lose traction and steering ability.
This can be particularly dangerous for motorcyclists, especially if they do not see the water and are surprised by the sudden change in traction and steering. Roads with frequent standing water should have clear signage to help motorcyclists prepare for or, ideally, avoid the water.
Gravel or Sand in the Road
Loose gravel or sand can cause a motorcycle's rear wheel to slip on the roadway, a particularly frightening prospect for a vehicle with only two wheels.
If you encounter gravel or sand in the middle of a turn, the loss of traction combined with the force of the turn may cause your tire to slip from underneath you, taking you to the ground and potentially crushing the leg trapped underneath your bike.
Lack of Proper Signage
Changes in road conditions are a common problem, but proper signage can alert motorcyclists to potential dangers in areas where they need to be more vigilant. Whether such signs warn of uneven roadways, bumps, potholes, or potential standing water, they can provide motorcyclists with the time to adjust their driving to account for hazards.
Potholes
Even four-wheel vehicles can have tire damage as a result of potholes. For motorcyclists, though, these deep dips in the road may throw them off their bikes. When this happens, motorcyclists may have broken bones, head injuries, or worse.
Who’s Liable for Accidents Caused by Hazardous Road Conditions?
Florida statute 336.045 states that counties are responsible for maintaining all public streets, roads, highways, bridges, sidewalks, curbs, curb ramps, crosswalks, underpasses, overpasses, and bicycle ways.
Roadways must be maintained for the safety of all drivers and pedestrians, so if hazardous road conditions led to your accident, you may be able to seek compensation from the government. However, there may be several parties liable for the conditions that caused your accident, including:
- State or local government entities responsible for road maintenance
- Road engineers, especially if poor road design contributed to an accident
- Other drivers, if they failed to secure cargo or fix a broken car part
- Construction companies, if they left hazards in the roadway
Your Rights if You’ve Been in a Motorcycle Accident as a Result of Hazardous Road Conditions
You may be eligible for compensation if you’ve suffered from injuries after a motorcycle accident caused by hazardous road conditions. You may be able to secure awards for the following types of damages:
- Economic damages like medical expenses, property damage, lost wages, or loss of future income
- Non-economic damages like pain and suffering, loss of consortium, or loss of enjoyment of life.
How an Orlando, Fl Motorcycle Accident Attorney Can Help You
We know that personal injury cases can be confusing and stressful. At Spetsas Buist, one of our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers can review your case, explain the types and amounts of compensation you can pursue, and help you understand what to do after your accident. Let us help you today.