Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Some people look forward to summer in its capacity as family road trip season, but you are over it. The idea of getting stuck in traffic for hours with your family, with your children whining and your spouse and in-laws enumerating your faults as your car fills up with more trash than you knew could fit in a passenger vehicle, is not your idea of a good time. For you, traveling is about freedom, which is why you prefer to travel by motorcycle, either alone or in a pack of bikes where each rider can get lost in his or her own world in the open road, but you can still be in the company of friends when you reach your destination or at your stops along the way. You are neither foolhardy enough nor sufficiently tolerant of cold temperatures to go on long motorcycle rides in the winter, when there is almost always snow and ice on the ground in New Jersey. Despite this, the roads contain plenty of hazards for motorcycles even in the summer, hazards that do not pose as much of a risk to cars and larger vehicles. If you got injured in a motorcycle accident during a road trip in New Jersey, contact a South Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer.
Poorly Maintained Roads
After two vehicles collide, each driver tries to justify to the other, as well as to the insurance companies, that he or she is not at fault for the accident, or at least not entirely at fault. In many instances, mistakes by drivers are not the only contributing factor in the accident; the road conditions can also play a role. These are some common scenarios where poorly maintained roads can be a hazard for motorcyclists:
- If a motorcycle hits a pothole, it can throw the motorcycle off balance more than it would for a car. Likewise, motorcyclists must drive around potholes to avoid them, as opposed to cars that can position themselves so that the body of the car passes over the pothole without the wheels touching it.
- Gravel and large pieces of dirt in the road are more distracting for motorcyclists than they are for the drivers of cars. Motorcyclists can feel the gravel hitting their clothing, and it is especially distracting when gravel bounces off of your helmet or visor.
- Uneven pavement is more likely to cause you to lose control of a motorcycle than a larger vehicle.
Situations Where Motorcycles Are Hard to See
Motorcyclists are at risk simply because their vehicles are small and therefore hard to see. This can be a problem in heavy traffic, as drivers keep their eyes on the biggest cars and trucks. It can also be a problem at intersections where trees and buildings prevent drivers from having a panoramic view.
Contact Monaco Law About Car Accidents
Contact Monaco Law PC in Marlton, New Jersey to discuss your car accident case. Joseph Monaco is a New Jersey and Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer serving Atlantic County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Camden County, Cumberland County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Ocean County, Salem County and all of South Jersey.
Source:
nj.com/bergen/2025/11/motorcyclist-killed-in-crash-in-front-of-nj-wawa-authorities-say.html
