Motorcycle Accidents Lynchburg | Randall J. Trost, P. C.

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Perception vs. Protection

Appearances are inevitably important; for the elegant runway model, the trendy millennial, even motorcyclists. Motorcyclists are aware of the safety challenges they face on roadways, but they're often risking an accident or personal injury, riding without high-visibility gear. And, it's simply because they don't find the gear appealing.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a report about motorcyclists' safety habits, and why they choose to wear/not wear high-visibility gear. The most common response for not wearing the safety gear was centered around the look. Yellow is the color typically associated with high-visibility gear, but the majority of motorcyclists who participated in the report didn't approve of the look, and suggested others colors should be used like orange, bright blue, purple, or pink.

Helmets Save Lives

Motorcyclists should be wearing helmets at all times, not only because they saves lives and help prevent personal injuries, but because it's the law in Virginia. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helmets are 37% effective in preventing motorcycle accident deaths and 67% effective in preventing brain injuries.

Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia have universal helmet laws, while other states require some riders to wear helmets. Only three states: Iowa, Illinois and New Hampshire don't have a helmet law in the books. Missouri recently tried to relax its universal helmet law without much success. Meantime, starting October 2019, Nevada will bolster up its law to include moped and trimobile riders.

Besides wearing a helmet, motorcyclists should wear the following safety gear to avoid accidents:

Eye protection
Leather jacket or trousers
Durable gloves
Proper footwear

Sharing Roadways

In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's report, motorcyclists said they would be more inclined to wearing high-visibility gear if all products were made with built-in reflective features, creating a standard look. They also suggested financial incentives, like a discount on motorcycle insurance for those who wear high-visibility gear. However, some stressed they don't think the safety gear works. They feel frustrated by drivers who aren't paying attention, especially those who are on their cellphones.

2018 Virginia Traffic Trends

Motorcycle crashes: 1,792

Motorcycle Injuries: 1,495

Motorcycle Deaths: 88

In 2018, most motorcycle accidents Lynchburg in Virginia were caused by motorcyclists riding too closely to vehicles, according the Virginia Highway Safety Office. Despite that statistic, all motorists have a shared responsibility to keep one another safe on the roads. Watch out for each other, follow at a safe distance, use turn signals, and always ride/drive sober.

If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, the experienced and dedicated motorcycle accident attorneys at Trost Law Group can help you immediately, starting with a free case review. Our injury lawyers have used their unrivaled skills to help thousands of injured clients throughout the state of Virginia for the past 35 years.