Thursday, March 11th, 2010
So you’re thinking about getting your first motorcycle. You’ve been envisioning this for the past few years, patiently waiting until you were old enough. You can just feel the power underneath you as you scream down the road. Anyone that has a passion for bikes knows how you feel, but make sure you are prepared before you venture out into the world on that first bike. Motorcycles are a great way to experience the freedom of the outdoors as well as an economical form of transportation, but they are also a good way to get killed or seriously injured if you don’t know what you are doing and don’t practice motorcycle safety.
Many states now require that helmets be worn at all times for motorcycle riders. Even states that don’t require helmets for all riders have some requirement that younger riders wear a helmet. Additionally, all states require that you obtain a motorcycle license, or endorsement, before you are allowed to operate a motorcycle. Some states, like California for example, require that you complete a motorcycle training course if you are under the age of 18 in order to qualify for a motorcycle license, according to California motorcycle accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates. While all of this may seem unnecessary to you, and you may feel that it is nothing more than a list of obstacles in your way to that dream bike, there are plenty of reasons why these rules are in place. Thousands of people are killed each year in motorcycle accidents and even more are seriously injured. Your chances of being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident are twice as high as in a car accident. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16-24 are significantly overrepresented in accidents. Those helmets that nobody wants to wear? They are the single biggest factor in preventing serious head trauma which can lead to death or life altering injuries. Studies also tell us that the majority of riders that are involved in an accident have very little experience riding. The reason for this is that knowing how to ride a motorcycle is one thing – knowing how to react to a potential collision is another thing. Riders generally have less than 2 seconds to acknowledge and react to a potential collision. Additionally, on a motorcycle, evasive maneuvers are frequently critical to avoiding a fatal accident and novice riders may not be equipped to initiate those maneuvers.
A motorcycle training course, whether required by law or not, may be the best time and money you ever spend. If you are convinced that you already know how to ride, then enroll in an advanced or expert course. Even people that have been riding for years frequently attend training courses to get the latest information and techniques. There is no reason that you can’t have that motorcycle that you have been waiting for, but take the time to prepare yourself before you go out on the road with it. A few hours of your time now may be the key to many years of riding in the future.
If you have any additional questions, or have been involved in a motorcycle accident, feel free to contact California motorcycle accident attorney Emery Ledger of Ledger & Associates at his toll-free number 1-800-300-0001 or online at www.ledgerlaw.com
Tags: attorney, california motorcycle accident attorney, car accident, emery, head trauma, helmet, juries, killed, law, Ledger, maneuver, money, motorcycle accident, motorcycle accident attorney, motorcycle accidents, motorcycle riders, Motorcycle safety, motorcycles, safety
Posted in Motorcycle Accident Lawyer | No Comments »
Monday, February 8th, 2010
If you have spent any time on the nation’s highways, you have certainly seen your share of double and even triple trailer trucks. Officially known as Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs) they can be found in four basic forms. The first is known as a Rocky Mountain Double and consists of a tractor pulling a full-size semi-trailer (48 feet in length) plus a smaller trailer (28 feet in length). A Turnpike Double consists of a tractor pulling two 48 foot trailers. The B-Train Double consists of a tractor pulling two 48 foot trailers linked together by a fifth wheel. Lastly, a Triple Trailer combination consists of a tractor pulling three 28 foot trailers. Most states restrict the operation of these combination trailers due in large part to the safety concerns associated with them. If you have ever seen one of these, you can’t help but wonder whether they are safe.
Large trucks account for only about 3 % of all registered vehicles on the road, yet are responsible for 12% of all traffic fatalities. Not surprisingly, statistics show that of all the large trucks involved in fatal accidents, a staggering 76% were combination trucks. That means that a combination truck is three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident than a single unit truck. The reason that these type of tractor – trailers are so dangerous is that they can become difficult, if not impossible, to control very quickly. A relatively small tractor steering movement -for example a lane-change maneuver – can be magnified greatly by the time it reaches the second trailer. What began as a simple maneuver can cause the driver to loose control of the truck and trailers in just seconds. This loss of control can result in exaggerated sway and ultimately lead to a rollover before the driver can do anything to prevent it. While a regular tractor – trailer can carry a maximum weight of anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 pounds, a combination trailer can be carrying up to 147,000 pounds. Given the fact that the average car weighs around 4,000 pounds, it is not difficult to understand why a collision with one of these behemoths is so likely to result in serious injury or death. The playing field is far from even.
Despite all of the safety concerns, it appears as though these road giants will be traveling the nation’s highways for the foreseeable future. If you encounter one while traveling, make sure you give it plenty of room to maneuver and make sure you are within his field of vision. If you have been involved in an accident with one of these combination trucks, you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries you have suffered as a result of the accident. Only an experienced California truck accident attorney can evaluate your particular case and answer all your questions.
If you would like to speak to an experienced California truck accident attorney about evaluating your case, contact the law offices of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit us at www.ledgerlaw.com
Tags: accident, accident attorney, accident lawyer, accidents, attorney, combination vehicles, fatal accidents, field of vision, fifth wheel, loose control, maneuver, maximum weight, safety, semi trailer, single unit, statistics, sway, tractor trailer, tractor trailers, traffic fatalities, trailer 48, trailer combination, trailer trucks, truck accident, truck accident attorney, truck accident lawyer
Posted in Trucking Accident Lawyer | No Comments »
