Even the most cautious motorcyclists are sometimes involved in road accidents. These unfortunate events can be very costly, frustrating, cause serious injury and even disability. Your actions immediately following and those of the following days play a fundamental role in the repercussions you can suffer. This article describes how to react to defend your interests if you are involved in a road accident with your motorcycle.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Managing the Circumstance
Step 1. Take cover
The first thing you should do after an accident is to protect yourself from injury by moving away from traffic and the road. Distance yourself from anything that could cause you further harm such as:
- A vehicle that is leaking gasoline;
- A vehicle or structure on fire;
- Damaged structures that could collapse;
- Precipices near the road or unloading areas.
Step 2. Check your condition and those of other people involved for injuries
If you or someone else is injured, call 911 right away. It is very rare for a motorcyclist to come out unscathed from a car accident, and some of the more serious injuries are not immediately noticeable. For this reason, you should call for help even if you believe you have not been physically injured.
- Although less common than upper and lower limb injuries, thoracic and abdominal injuries following a motorcycle accident tend to be more severe due to possible organ damage and / or internal bleeding triggered by blunt impact.
- Lower extremity injuries are the most common injuries in a road accident involving a motorcyclist. Often these are fractures that are not fatal if properly treated by professionals.
Step 3. Stay calm
Although it is not easy to remain lucid in these situations, it is however important not to do or say anything that could make things worse or that could indicate responsibility for the accident. For example, you don't have to:
- Discuss with other people involved in the accident;
- Accusing someone;
- Deal with others physically and in a hostile manner;
- Intentionally inflicting other damage on the property of others.
Step 4. Report the incident to law enforcement
If there are no injuries, this step is not essential, although highly recommended to have an objective report of the dynamics of the accident. Except for really trivial claims (where no personal injury occurs and property damage is minimal), you should call the local or traffic police to:
- Manage traffic;
- Write down the details of the incident;
- Determine if immediate legal action is needed.
Step 5. Do not leave the accident site
Your presence is essential until you have exchanged important information with all parties involved or until law enforcement arrives. At a minimum you need to get the following details:
- A list of material damage in the form of photographic evidence or written description;
- Contact and / or insurance information of all parties involved;
- Characteristics of the vehicles involved, such as the name of the car manufacturer, model and year of production.
Step 6. Take photographs of the crash site
If you have a working cell phone or camera with you, take pictures of the site and damage to vehicles or property, so that there is irrefutable evidence of the details of the accident.
- However, do not take pictures if you have to put your own or others' safety at risk or cause further material damage to take them.
- Remember to also include details of the surrounding environment, such as road signs or nearby buildings, in the images.
Step 7. Obtain contact information from any witness who is willing to provide it to you
This means knowing every detail: from the person's name to a written report of what they saw. If you ultimately have a legal dispute about the dynamics of the incident, a witness's opinion can be helpful in unraveling the case.
- Do not pressure witnesses to say or do things against their will; some people are willing to make a statement to the police, but don't want to be called to testify or be harassed by insurance companies.
- At a minimum, write down the names and telephone numbers of witnesses who are available so that you or your representative can contact them later; make sure these people agree.
Part 2 of 3: Handling the Following Events
Step 1. Contact your insurance company
After the accident, as soon as possible, you must inform the insurer that a claim has occurred.
- Provide any important information you collected at the scene of the accident, such as the names of all involved, the car manufacturer, model and year of manufacture of all vehicles, and the names and contact numbers of any witnesses.
- If you are asked about any physical injuries you have suffered and / or damage to the motorcycle, please reply that you will provide a detailed list as soon as your condition is evaluated by a doctor and that of the motorcycle by a mechanic; in this way, you are sure not to underestimate the compensation you are entitled to.
Step 2. Do not admit to anyone that you are responsible for the accident
This means not talking about it with the other drivers involved, with the police officers and with the representatives of the various insurance companies. By doing so, you avoid being charged with anything that is not your responsibility and prevent the insurance company from falsely rejecting your claim.
- It is best to limit the number of people you discuss the details of the incident with; even a simple statement like "I'm fine" can later be used against you when you are making a claim for physical injury.
- If you have the support of a lawyer, forward any inquiries that are made to you regarding the claim.
- Never lie about your role in the accident, especially to the police or the insurance company.
Step 3. Call your attorney
Many professionals specialize in road accidents involving motorcycles; it is in your interests (legal and economic) to find assistance to manage the situation. Here are some good reasons why you should rely on a lawyer:
- You have been mistakenly charged with the responsibility for the accident by the other drivers involved;
- The insurance company refused the refund request;
- The damages suffered by you (material or physical) exceed the limits of the policy;
- As a result of the accident, you suffered severe physical trauma and had to face the related costs.
Step 4. Follow your doctor's instructions
If you have been injured and received medical treatment, you may have also been given instructions or recommendations to follow while recovering. To be able to heal completely and minimize possible long-term repercussions, follow your doctor's instructions to the letter.
- Show up on time for checkups;
- Follow the instructions for prescribed medications;
- Follow the therapies or procedures that have been recommended to you.
Step 5. Get the maximum possible compensation
While physical injury and motorcycle damage may seem trivial, remember not to accept too low a compensation for an accident caused by someone else. Here are some factors to consider before accepting the insurance company's proposal:
- Some injuries have long-term consequences; your doctor should perform a detailed assessment of the trauma you have suffered and inform you of the lasting repercussions. These details must be taken into account in your compensation claim.
- The reimbursement may involve more than medical expenses and vehicle repair costs. If you lose your salary because you are unable to work, incur large transport costs associated with medical treatment, or have to face other costs as a result of the accident, you should include all of these items in your claim.
- Remember that once the compensation proposal has been accepted and signed, the practice can no longer be reopened; this is a good reason to "get things right first time". Be very careful when evaluating the damages you have suffered and in requesting the reimbursement that you are entitled to, so as to avoid being deceived.
Part 3 of 3: Avoiding Motorcycle Accidents and Injuries
Step 1. Put on the protectors
When riding a motorcycle or a passenger, always use a helmet, a thick jacket, long pants and padded gloves. There is no cockpit to protect you on this type of vehicle, so wearing protective clothing (even if it is not mandatory for the highway code) can minimize damage in the event of an accident and even save your life.
- Helmet-wearing motorcyclists are 40% less likely to die from head trauma.
- Motorcyclists wearing helmets run a lower risk (around 15% less) of suffering a non-fatal head injury.
Step 2. Never ride a motorcycle when drunk
You are at greater risk of being involved in an accident if you drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Alcoholic drinks dilate reaction times, alter balance and judgment skills. Driving a vehicle in these conditions puts you and others in danger of injury or death, plus it is illegal!
- Statistics show that 29% of fatal accidents involve a motorcyclist with a BAC higher than the legal limits (0, 5 g / l).
- A third of all accidents are caused by a motorcyclist under the influence of alcohol.
- Motorcycle drivers between the ages of 20 and 24 represent the population with the highest rate of drunk-related accidents of any other age group.
Step 3. Adapt your driving style to the weather and road conditions
It is easy to lose control of the vehicle when the weather is bad, especially in the presence of precipitation or poor visibility. It is difficult to stop quickly when the road is wet, which increases the risk of an accident.
- Reduce your speed when the weather is bad. This way, you have more time to react to unexpected situations by decreasing the distance and braking time.
- When passing or following other vehicles, leave a large safe distance. You do not know how other drivers behave and it is very likely that they have not noticed your presence when visibility is reduced and / or in bad weather. If you keep a good safe distance, you have a better chance of reacting promptly.
- Turn carefully. If the asphalt is wet or icy, you run a greater risk of losing grip when cornering and crashing. Minimize this by slowing down and keeping as vertical as possible when turning or cornering in bad weather.
Step 4. Be cautious and use common sense
This means respecting the rules of the road, traffic signs and avoiding dangerous maneuvers. Many motorcycle accidents are attributed to the reckless behavior of "centaurs", which means they are avoidable with a little common sense.
- Don't speed up. More than a third of accidents are partially attributable to excessive speed by motorcyclists; acceleration reduces control, increases the time and distance it takes to stop, and increases the likelihood of an accident being fatal.
- Always signal your intention to turn or channel into traffic. If you don't use the turn signals, another driver is more likely to accidentally bump into you; Unfortunately, motorcycles are difficult vehicles to see in traffic, so get noticed as much as possible!
- Do not drive along the line between two lanes. This habit exposes you to a greater risk of being hit by another vehicle unknowingly flowing towards you. By staying in the center of your lane, you greatly reduce the chances of being hit by a vehicle that is channeled into traffic.
Step 5. Drive carefully and be vigilant
Many accidents are the result of reckless or aggressive conduct; it is difficult for a motorist to see a motorcycle; for example, cars converge or turn suddenly, exposing motorcycle drivers to serious danger.
- Use the horn and lights. You can signal your presence to other vehicles using sound and light signals when they get too close to you; by keeping the headlights on you are more likely to be noticed.
- Constantly monitor traffic to be ready to slow down or brake in case of need. If you notice the brake lights of several vehicles coming on or you notice a traffic jam in front of you, you can anticipate the necessary moves and slow down quickly to avoid a rear-end collision.
Step 6. Avoid situations that take you out of your comfort level and beyond your abilities
Inexperienced motorcyclists are at greater risk of accidents, especially in heavy traffic or on bad roads; awareness of your limitations can save your life!
- Only drive on roads with a low speed limit and with little traffic, such as ordinary roads (avoid motorways and ring roads), until you are familiar with the two-wheeler and have developed excellent control.
- Don't assume that a biker friend behaves like you on the road or that your new bike looks like your old one. Each bike is different in terms of control, weight, traction, acceleration and braking. Until you are used to a particular motorcycle, be very cautious.
