What to Do When a Biking Accident Happens?

Bicycle Accidents,

Given today’s unhealthy living conditions, pollution, unhealthy eating, obesity, and tons of sickness, biking seems a very good hobby to adopt. Bicycle riding lets you go from one place to another the healthy and frugal way. For one, you don’t need to pay for fuel just to roam around. It’s friendly with the environment too as you don’t burn fossil fuels that cause pollution. Most importantly, it is a great form of exercise that promotes healthy living among its users. It fights obesity and makes you healthier person.

Problems that Bikers Face

However, even if there are tons of benefits that biking brings, safety concerns have been stopping people from fully adopting to the biking lifestyle. According to the compiled reports in 2010, 618 people have died as a result of bicycle and motor vehicle crashes. While 618 deaths are definitely lower than the 732 recorded in 2001, the number of fatalities is still very much alarming. There were also a great number of accidents in California involving bicycles should be a cause of worry for biking advocacy groups.

Every year, bicycle accident victims account for two percent of the total number of people that were killed or injured because of traffic crashes. With the fluctuating number of bicycle deaths in injuries every year, bicycle safety indeed is a very serious issue for every bike-riding American.

Bicycle Safety Quick Facts

The various programs of the government and the advocacy of biking-groups have caused a drop in both the number of deaths and injuries for bicyclists. In 2010, 618 people died because of bicycle accidents. This means a 14 percent decrease from 721 deaths back in 2001. The same trend is observed when it comes to bicyclist injuries. In 1998, about 53,000 people got hurt because of bicycle-related mishaps. In 2010 however, the number of injuries dropped by 1,000 at 52,000 which yields a 2 percent drop from 1998 figures. Annually, bicyclist safety and death have cost $4 billion every year, according to the National Safety Council.

Who Falls for Bicycle Accidents?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), here are interesting facts about bicycle accidents:

  • The average age of fatalities involved in bicycle-motor vehicle mishaps was 42 years old. This was up from 32 in 1998 and 24 back in 1988.
  • 86 percent of bicycle-accident fatalities were male.
  • 41 percent of the fatalities were between the ages of 45 and 64
  • In 2010, 11 percent of the bicycle fatalities were under age 16, which was 30 percent lower from those killed in 1998.
  • The average age of bicyclists that figured and got injured in crashes with motor vehicles was at 31 years old. Up from the average age of 24 years back in 1998.
  • Among those injured. 74 percent were male.
  • Older people got injured in bicycle accidents, particularly, 46 percent from the ages of 25 and 54. On the other hand, 19 percent of those who got injured were under the age of 16.

The Dangers of Bicycling

The numbers don’ lie. With thousands getting injured and hundreds getting killed annually, biking can really be dangerous. However, there are things that the government and biking advocacy groups has been working hand-in-hand in helping improve bicycle safety in the country. With both the numbers of injured and bicycle fatalities, it is a welcome sign that these programs and campaigns for safer biking are working.

What to Do When a Biking Accident Happens?

A person should be well aware of the dangers that come with biking if he or she plans to take on this hobby. Moreover, one should be made aware of the things that they should do if these accidents happen. For the damages to property, injuries, and the loss of lives caused by biking, the victims can demand for compensation from the ones responsible for the accident to happen. In filing a claim, one should get an attorney for bicycle Accident in California. They will help you prepare the pieces of evidence needed and the cases to be filed. They will also join you in filing such claims and represent you in the trial of the claim you’ve filed. That is why you should not just entrust your claims to anybody. Hiring the services of the best attorney for bicycle accident claims will help boost your chances of winning your claims, letting you or your loved ones recover from the injuries you got or the loss of lives that such biking accidents can cause.

How Well Do You Know Your Motorcycle?

Motorcycle Accidents,

Motorcycle Riding

Contrary to what others think, riding a motorcycle requires one to have a driver’s license allowing him or her to operate a two-wheeled vehicle. An attorney for motorcycle accidents says that there are a number of unlicensed motorcycle riders get involved in accidents. According to him, this is a real serious concern for the government as these accidents could cost not just damage to property but injuries and possibly, the loss of lives of innocent people. Unlicensed riders get automatically jailed for the failure to have a motorcycle riding license. More than that, personal injury or wrongful death claims injury can also be filed which may put one in a very complicated legal situation.

Getting your Own Motorcycle Rider’s License

In most motorcycle accident in United States are caused by driver error or the rider’s inability to control his or her bike properly. To ensure that riders have the right skills before being allowed to ride or motorcycles, California’s traffic laws require one to get a motorcycle riding first. Some may know how to ride motorcycles but do not have an idea about the important concepts of riding. Getting a motorcycle riding license will give you the right idea about riding and the importance of safety on the road. That is why it is critical for one to have a rider’s license first before going out for a ride. However, getting a permit, and eventually a license, requires that you undergo as pass a motorcycle skills test.

Testing Your Skills

Of course, before you can enjoy riding a motorcycle, you must first possess the skills needed to be entrusted to ride one. That is why you will need to undergo a motorcycle skills test to determine your skill level and if you are indeed qualified to ride a bike. So how can you pass this test? Here are some tips that you might find useful.

9 Motorcycle items Test

To be a certified rider, you must first know your motorcycle well. And so, you will need to identify the following items for your to be able to pass the exam:

  1. Starter. This jump-starts your motorcycle’s engine.
  2. Kills witch. You will need to operate this switch whenever you want to turn off your bike’s engine.
  3. Clutch. This helps you engage and disengage the motorcycle’s gears to move you forward.
  4. Throttle. This controls the engine’s acceleration, allowing you to speed up or slow down when needed.
  5. Gear selector. This will let you manipulate the transmission by letting you select the proper gear for a certain speed.
  6. Dimmer switch. This switch controls the bike’s headlamps. You will be using this to avoid blinding other drivers of the road because of your bright headlamps.
  7. Brakes. This is responsible for putting the motorcycle to a halt.
  8. Turn signals. This signal system is critical. You will need to use this to inform other drivers around you of your next maneuver. Turn the left signals on to show your intention to turn left or change lanes to the left or right to turn or change lanes to the right.
  9. Horn. You will need this to alert other drivers and pedestrians in front of your of presence so they can pull over and yield if you need to pass them.

Knowing your motorcycles better, how to control it in panic situations, and exercise safe riding practices will prevent you from needing a specialized attorneys in Motorcycle Accident to bail you out in court. Nobody wants to get apprehended and jailed for a motorcycle accident, as well as undergo a dragging legal battle. And so, do everything you can to be the best motorcycle rider you could be so you can enjoy the joys of riding without getting hurt or hurting anybody because of avoidable accidents.

Why California Car Accidents Still Occur

Auto Accidents, ,

car accidents

The number of fatalities in motor vehicle accidents all over the United States has been decreasing over the past few years. In fact, the yearly death tolls recorded from 2010 to 2012 were the lowest since 1975, which was the time the federal government decided to collect statistical data on motor vehicle accident injuries and deaths. Despite the ongoing trend, there are a number of states that has seen a steady, albeit small, increases in accident deaths. Among them is the State of California.

From the year 2010 to 2012, California, one of the highly-motorized states in the country, recorded 2,715, 2,791, and 2,857, respectively. The number of motor vehicle crashes that resulted in fatalities likewise increased during that time period. Even if the efforts of law enforcement and local agencies to educate drivers about avoiding accidents in the state have reaped positive results, news reports about injuries, deaths, and damage to property keep popping up every day in California. Why do they still happen, anyway?

Here are some of the main reasons why California car accidents still occur:

  • A lot of motorists still fail to adhere with the traffic laws that are currently implemented in the state. They still beat the red light, call or text someone while behind the wheel, unnecessarily speed off along the roadway, or fail to yield at intersections or when people cross the street. This is despite the aim of the current state traffic laws of effectively curbing the growing number of vehicle crashes.
  • A lot of motorists in California disregard the “don’t drink and drive” mantra. Intoxicated driving can truly increase one’s chances of crashing his or her vehicle, which might also affect other innocent people on the roads. Although for years, law enforcement agencies in California have been going after wayward drivers and having them tested if they are intoxicated or not.
  • Doing the little things while behind the wheel is sometimes taken for granted. A great example of such is the failure to wear the seatbelt. A lot of fatal motor vehicle accidents in California involved drivers and/or passengers who were not belted.

Regardless of sex or age, everyone can be involved in a car accident. Not only do these unfortunate events affect those inside passenger vehicles, but also pedestrians, as well as motorcyclists and bicyclists. Whether they resulted in serious injuries or deaths, these happen because of negligence, or failure to act in a reasonable manner under the circumstances.

As such, it is imperative for victims and their families to seek compensation from the liable parties responsible for these accidents. Usually, a car accident requires the expertise of a lawyer to help the aggrieved party negotiate with the other party and its insurance company. That way, the claiming party may be able to obtain the complete amount of compensation they deserve.

Meanwhile, if you have been injured in a car accident that happened in California, or your loved one died because of the same situation, then it is imperative that you hire the services of a lawyer who specializes in personal injury law cases.