Accidents between motorcyclists and motorists are caused by a range of reasons. Even though both parties can be affected by the accident, the chances of a fatal tragedy for motorcyclists is greater.
What can motorists do to reduce the chances of an accident with a motorcyclist?
Whether it’s one or all parties being responsible for the accident. Motorcyclists have a bigger chance of being badly hurt in an accident.
There’s a range of things that motorists can do in order to reduce the chances of a collision with a motorcyclist:
- Check your blind spot regularly, especially at junctions and crossroads. Motorcyclists are harder to see.
- Allow a safe gap; always allow a bigger gap when overtaking motorcyclists, they are more likely to be affected by the weather conditions, such as winds, rain and ice.
- Don’t tailgate, treat motorcyclists like any other road users, keep a safe distance of a minimum of 2 seconds behind them in dry weather conditions and 4 seconds behind in rain. Increase your minimum distance depending on weather conditions. The weather has a bigger impact on motorcyclists than other road users.
What can motorcyclists and cyclists do to reduce the chances of an accident with a motorist?
- Wear high visibility clothing. By doing so you can reduce the chances of coming into collision with a car or other sort of motor vehicle. Make sure to wear it at all times, not only during the night.
- Take good care of your bike. You are one of the most vulnerable road users, a well-maintained bike is a safe bike.
- Wear a helmet at all times.
- Check your blind spot, you have one too! Always check behind your right-hand shoulder, as other road users will be overtaking you at that side. Make sure to always check it before setting off, or at a junction in case other road users can’t see you.
- Avoid using headphones and listening to music whilst driving, as this can be distracting.
What should you do if you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident?
Being involved in any sort of accident can be very stressful to anyone involved. If you have been involved in an accident, the first thing you should do is call any necessary emergency services, such as the ambulance and the police. Try to use the roadside phone if there is one available as it allows the emergency services to find your exact location to get to the incident faster.
For motorcyclists: don’t remove the helmet unless it is essential to do so.
For everyone: if they are unconscious, remove them from their vehicle and as far away from the road as possible. If you find any burns, they should be treated with cold and clean water for 5-10 minutes.
If they appear to be unconscious, make sure to open their airways and check their pulse, if they are not breathing perform CPR. If they are fine and moving, make sure that they are comfortable, and try to reassure them confidently, as anyone involved in an accident like that will be in a state of shock.
When everyone is safe, make sure to gather any evidence of the crime scene in order to make a claim for an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Evidence to include:
- Make sure to take photographs of the crime scene, take as many pictures as you can.
- Video footage, dash-cam or CCTV footage
- Witnesses – keep their details
- Police reports
- Medical reports
- Diary Events – Keep a log
- Receipts for any expenditure afterwards
How can I make a claim?
We understand that being involved in an accident can be very stressful, so here at Solicitors On Your Side, we try to make the process as stress-free as possible. Going to the doctor after an accident isn’t only a very good way to make sure you are okay, but it is also a very good way to gather any essential medical records.
How long does it take to get compensation?
The time it takes depends on the severity of the incident, however, 95% of the cases are dealt with within 9 months.
Contact our Solicitors now!
Contact us now, Solicitors on Your Side can offer you free advice and consultations. Our solicitors can help you on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there will be no hidden fees, and everything can be done over the phone from anywhere in the UK.
Contact us today by phoning 0330 912 2124, emailing [email protected], or by using our website by filling out an online form.
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