It’s very common for drivers who hit motorcyclists to say that they never saw the motorcycle. In fact, they sometimes accuse the motorcyclist of speeding. The driver will say that there’s no way the bike could’ve appeared out of nowhere if they weren’t breaking the speed limit.
However, what you’ll often find is that the drivers themselves are actually making mistakes. In some cases, they don’t take enough time to check for motorcycles. There are even drivers who have looked directly down the road toward the motorcycle, without even noticing it. One reason that this happens is that drivers are often distracted.
The toll of this distraction
Distraction is very common in Florida, where motorcycle deaths rank fourth highest out of the entire country. This is one of the most dangerous states for any motorcyclist to visit. Plus, those statistics are trending up. Since 2010, there’s been an increase of 23% in motorcycle fatalities in the Sunshine State. Florida is a beautiful place to ride, it just isn’t a very safe one.
The role of cellphone addiction
One thing that may play a role in the upward trend noted above is that a lot of drivers are essentially addicted to their phones. They know that they are not supposed to use a phone behind the wheel because it’s a source of distraction. But they simply continue to do so anyway because they are addicted. Phones are designed to be addictive because their use generates revenue for ad producers and app developers. As a result, too many motorists keep their phones in their hands while they’re driving even though they know that interacting with them in this way is unsafe.
What can you do?
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident and suffered serious injuries, or if a loved one has been killed as a result of a motorcycle wreck, you need to know about all of your legal options. You may be able to seek compensation for things like medical bills and lost wages, among other losses.
