Drivers who don’t respect motorcyclists may cause them to crash
In 2017, distracted driving has gotten quite a bit of attention from lawmakers, police, and the public at large as a threat to road safety. Distracted driving is a major hazard, whether it involves texting or driving or any other form of not paying attention while behind the wheel. Yet another type of unsafe driving is often overlooked in campaigns for public safety: aggressive driving.
Aggressive driving can be dangerous to anyone on the road, but can be particularly unsafe for anyone on a motorcycle. As a knowledgable motorcycle accident attorney will tell you, an aggressive driver of a car, truck, or SUV can collide with a motorcycle, causing a catastrophic accident that results in serious or even fatal injuries. Motorcycle drivers and their passengers tend to have little protection from such crashes, so if an aggressive driver causes an accident, they bear the brunt of their reckless driving.
More than ever before, it seems that drivers are constantly in a rush to get where they are going. Aggressive driving has become increasingly common as a result, with drivers going out of their way to be rude, hostile and even combative at times. While in many cases, aggressive driving is just annoying, these behaviors can be deadly if they lead to an accident.
Aggressive driving can take many forms, such as tailgating, changing lanes quickly without properly signaling, speeding, honking a horn or flashing lights, making rude comments, threats or obscene gestures to other drivers, displaying a weapon to another driver or even following another driver off the highway. Any one of these behaviors could lead to an accident that results in serious or even fatal injuries.
Picture this scenario. A driver is stuck in traffic, and is angry about it. He begins to weave through the lanes, mad that he will be late for an appointment. He does so without signaling, and without paying attention to who is behind him. Finally, he changes lanes in front of motorcycle, cutting him off. The motorcycle cannot stop in time, and slams into the back of the vehicle. A car may have been able to withstand the impact, but the motorcycle driver cannot. That is just one way that an aggressive driver can cause a motorcycle accident.
Of course, motorcycle drivers must also take responsibility to not drive aggressively either — which means no weaving between lanes, riding on the berm, or making careless lane changes. Sharing the road responsibility and reducing angry or aggressive driving means that we all stand a better chance of arriving at our destinations safely.
Aggressive driving poses a major threat to all of us on the road. Some of the behavior described above could lead to accidents — and may even be cause for a criminal charge. While being late is never fun, causing an accident is far worse. Plan ahead to avoid putting yourself in a situation where you have to drive aggressively in order to get somewhere in time.
If you have been hurt in an accident involving your motorcycle, talk to a skilled motorcycle accident attorney to get the help you need. At the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, our team of attorneys has substantial experience helping victims of motorcycle accidents recover for their losses. Contact us at 800-333-0000 or info@larryhparker.com to schedule a free initial consultation. We will help you get the money that you deserve, and we will never charge you a fee unless we get money for you.
