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Motorcyclists face serious risks when they share the road with inattentive drivers or drivers filled with road rage. Unsafe lane changes account for a significant number of motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents every year. A driver with road rage may not care that he or she is endangering the life of a motorcyclist who is abiding by the rules of the road as a lawful citizen. Unfortunately, bikers need to be aware of their safety at all times and the risks that unsafe lane changes can pose to their lives.
Unsafe lane changes can also occur when drivers fail to use their rear views and side mirrors. A motorist may be in the blind spot of a driver and have no way of knowing that he or she is in the blind spot. Drivers who fail to check their blind spots may negligently crash into motorcyclists and cause serious lane changing accidents.
If you were recently struck by another vehicle in a lane changing accident, then you can call one of our lawyers for immediate help with your case. Illinois motorcycle accident attorneys are ready to assess the validity of your claim and whether you may be eligible for a settlement. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our attorneys for immediate assistance with your case today.
Drivers Regularly Making Abrupt Lane Changes Into The Path Of MotorcyclistsMotorcyclists should be familiar with the causes of unsafe lane changes and try to avoid them at all costs. An unsafe lane changing accident can result when a driver negligently fails to pay attention to other surrounding drivers and motorists. A driver may be engaging in distracted driving behaviors, and this can pull his or her attention away from the road. Texting while driving, talking on a cell phone, applying makeup, listening to loud music and even surfing the Internet are all common causes of distracted driving. Here are some of the other causes that account for unsafe lane changes and may result in an unsafe lane changing accident:
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Driving with road rage
- Being impaired by drugs or alcohol while driving
- Failure to use signals to inform other drivers of lane changes
- Aggressively forcing one’s way into another lane
Aggressive driving frequently causes drivers to veer into motorcycle riders on the road. A motorcycle rider may be in the total right of way, when an aggressive driver suddenly crashes into him or her during a lane change. Drivers on the road need to understand that motorists are extremely vulnerable to being injured in lane change accidents. They do not have an outer shell to protect them, unlike drivers in cars or trucks.
In Illinois, motorists are also not required to wear a helmet under the law. While it may be partially negligent for a motorcyclists to not wear a helmet while riding, this will not completely bar one’s ability to recover damages after a lane changing accident.
Drivers should not automatically assume that a motorist may be barred from recovery for failure to wear a helmet. In many cases, motorists may still recover significant damages for injuries that they sustain after a lane changing accident.
Impact of Unsafe Lane Changes on MotorcyclistsMotorists suffer when other drivers fail to recognize the laws of the road. When other drivers try to partake in unsafe lane changes, motorcyclists can suffer severe injuries and even death. Here are some of the injuries that motorcycle riders can suffer:
- Closed head injuries
- Open wounds to the head
- Severe brain damage
- Permanent paralysis
- Severed limbs
- External and internal bleeding
- Severe lacerations
- Extreme burns
It is vital for drivers to regard their duty of care in a serious manner on the road. Drivers owe all other drivers, including motorcycle riders, a duty of care to act as a reasonable person on the road. This duty includes acting as a safe driver and respecting other drivers’ right to use the road.
Contact Illinois Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Representing Riders Due To Lane-Changing DriversIf you have been in an unsafe lane change accident, then you should get in touch with our Illinois motorcycle accident attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers now. Our lawyers are ready to help you understand the remedies available to you. We have successfully represented motorcyclists in Illinois and across the Midwest recover the compensation they are entitled to from insurance companies of responsible parties so our clients can protect the needs of themselves and their families after and accident.
Contact us now to discuss the circumstances involved with your motorcycle accident so we may advise you of your legal rights following a crash. We work exclusively on a contingency fee basis where we only receive a legal fee when there is a recovery for you.
