As much as motorcycle accident cases are uncommon in Queens, New York, riding a motorcycle during congested rush-hour traffic is often dangerous. A lot of negligent drivers often tend to overlook the fact that motorcycle riders, just like pedestrians and bicycle riders, are susceptible to accidents.
The thrill associated with riding a motorcycle through the city of New York falls behind the danger involved in it. The lack of protective structures a car offers to its driver, congested roads, and aggressive driving by motorists all increase the likelihood of a motorcycle accident occurring. And when it does happen, it could be so severe that you could permanently become unfit to work, and the medical bills could be a financial burden.
Although suing for damages can be non-trivial, do not be discouraged. Visit an attorney if you or your loved ones were involved in a motorcycle accident. Queen’s motorcycle accident lawyers at Elliot Ifraimoff & Associates act for injured riders who need individual and personal injury representation in New York. We ensure you receive compensation from your personal injury claim for pain and suffering, medical bills, and lost wages.
Injuries that can arise from motorcycle accidents
If you own a motorcycle and typically ply through the city of New York, knowing the various kinds of injuries that can result from a motorcycle accident in Queens is fundamental to your safety.
Below are some common motorcycle accident injuries:
- Head injuries:
- It is mandatory by law in New York city for motorcycle riders to put on a helmet when riding a motorcycle. Serious brain injuries from motorcycle crashes can be greatly mitigated by obeying this law. Proper helmet safety is critical because head injuries are the main cause of death in motorcycle accidents.
However, a helmet might not protect you from serious injuries from a motorcycle crash; you can still sustain a concussion which is a trivial brain injury. Nausea, unconsciousness, and memory and thinking problems might arise from a concussion. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a more serious form of concussion, can cause serious effects like coma or persistent vegetative state, personality changes, trouble remembering or identifying people or common objects, and less motor function.
- Abrasions and road rash
Severe injuries might result when you are thrown off your motorcycle during a motorcycle crash. You can suffer severe abrasions if you slide or hit the ground with a huge force. Traveling at huge speeds when you fall off could lead to road rash injuries on many parts of your body. The abrasions expose muscles or bones or even destroy skin if they are deep enough.
Motorcycle leathers are recommended to help protect yourself from these types of injuries; they are tough and can help protect your skin should you fall off during a motorcycle accident. Also, you should always put on motorcycle gloves to protect your hands which are very vulnerable to injuries; as a result of trying to catch yourself when you fall due to instinct.
- Injuries to the arm:
Falling off a motorcycle or bracing yourself can result in severe injuries. Although motorcycles are not high from the ground, during a serious fall, that distance becomes significant. Your arm joints and wrists can get injured in a motorcycle accident due to the instinct of bracing yourself during a fall. Should you land on your shoulder, it can get injured along with your collarbone and arms. More serious accidents can even push your arms into your shoulder. A motorcycle accident victim with these injuries might need a long physical therapy and rehabilitation. To reduce these injuries risks, putting on safety pads is key. - Injuries to the leg:
- You risk sustaining injuries to your legs should your motorcycle slip and fall. More scary is that your bike could fall on you since your legs are on both sides of the bike, leading to broken bones. Therefore, putting on strong motorcycle pants with armor and padding is imperative to help prevent significant injuries.
Amputation injuries could be among the catastrophic injuries you can sustain in a more serious case of a side-impact crash. You can even lose your leg if it is trapped between your bike and another object or vehicle. Be wary of dangerous intersections and obey traffic rules to help prevent side-impact crashes.
- Neck, Back, and Spine Injuries:
Neck and spinal injuries can be among the injuries sustained from any auto accident. Whiplash injuries can occur in your neck during a motorcycle accident if your head is whipped back and forth suddenly. A car headrest’s main work is to prevent the head from snapping during a car accident.
- Spinal cord injuries can result from falling on your neck or back during a motorcycle accident. The spinal cord is an important structure that transmits signals between the brain and other body parts. You stand a high risk of becoming paralyzed if these nerves get damaged. It is not unusual for your spinal column bones to break or dis-align, damaging your spinal cord. To help mitigate these injuries in a motorcycle crash, it will be helpful to always put on back pads and other bike armor.
New York motorcycle accident statistics
- Yearly death rate: Annually, in the state of New York, around 166 individuals die from bike crashes.
- Speeding: The majority of fatal accident cases are caused by excessive speeding.
- Highest death rates: Motorcycle riders that fall between the age range of 20 to 24 experience the highest fatalities.
- Bike vs vehicle mortality rate: Bikers in New York are 37 times more likely than people in cars to die in their accidents.
- Visits to the emergency room: Annually, New York emergency rooms are flooded by about 4,000 motorcycle accident victims.
- Fatalities according to gender: Almost 100% of bike accident fatalities involve men.
- Drivers without licenses: Around 43% of fatal bike accidents have to do with unlicensed drivers.
- Fatality likelihood in New York City vs other cities in New York: You are twice as likely to die in a road accident in New York than in other cities in the rest of New York.
5 common causes of motorcycle accidents in Queens, New York
Queens motorcycle riders are likely to be involved in a motorcycle accident due to certain factors ranging from distraction to not obeying traffic rules.
Below are some of the factors that constitute motorcycle accidents in Queens, New York:
Distraction
Ironically, you might be reading this while riding a bike, making you part of the problem. Compared to car drivers, ride drivers are more vulnerable to the dangers of distracted car drivers.
Some people believe careless car drivers shouldn’t be held responsible for accidents just because they took a peek at their phones or took the wrong lane.
Regardless of the situation, distracted driving still poses a danger to cars and bikes.
Failure to yield
When considering bike and car accidents, not yielding to the right-of-way by a driver causes more accidents. This could even be dangerous for bikers.
Motorcycle riders should be conscious that they have a high tendency to encounter an accident caused by negligent drivers not yielding to the right of way and guarding against it.
This could even be harder in heavy traffic because riders might have insufficient space to use without constituting more issues like a motorcycle collision.
As a result, a motorcycle rider should always take it that he might run into such a problem and always guard against it.
Drowsy Driving
As much as the dangers of drowsy driving are obvious, it is still common among Americans.
Though you might not feel sleepy while riding, other motorists might, making it difficult for them to be conscious of an oncoming motorcycle, possibly leading to a personal injury or wrongful death.
Consequently, you should always be sensitive to other vehicles around you, especially their sudden movement. Drowsy driving is among the top causes of motorcycle accidents.
Dangerous road conditions
Various road conditions abound, which riders have to prepare for. You can encounter snow, rain, or ice while riding your bike. Though you have no control over the weather, you have to take some precautions before riding.
Ensure your motorcycle is in good working condition before use. You should inspect the brakes and tires. These precautions prevent terrible issues from escalating had you not prepared at all.
Driving under the influence
In addition to drowsy driving, drunk driving ranks high among the main causes of accidents. This issue is prevalent among both vehicle and motorcycle riders.
In fact, according to the NHTSA accident report on motorcycle accident cases, out of 5,000 individuals killed in motorcycle crashes, more than 1,000 were drunk.
Therefore, even if you don’t drink and drive, understand there is a high tendency to encounter a negligent driver who might be under the influence.
Safety Tips for New York
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- Speed moderately: You are more likely not to get involved in an accident if you travel at a reasonable speed and obey all traffic rules.
- Always put on your helmet: As much as they might be costly, they will protect your head in case of any motorcycle crash. So they are worth the money.
- Avoid busy intersections: Try as much as possible to find quieter routes to ply to your destination.
- Be conscious of bad weather conditions: If there is any sign of impending bad weather, it is always worth it to delay your journey.
- Be conscious of different road hazards: Always watch out for road hazards like potholes, gravel, nail, and other dangerous debris. When traveling along heavy construction sites, be careful.
- Drive carefully when carrying a passenger: Ensure that your passenger has a full-face bike helmet, and only agree to offer a ride if your bike was built for a passenger’s protection and yours.
- Carry out routine maintenance on your bike: Always go for regular tune-ups and make up your mind to buy new bike tires should the treads become too worn out. Also, ensure that your headlights, horn, and other components are in good condition before going for a ride.
FAQs
What should I do if I am a victim of a motorcycle accident?
Ensure you seek medical assistance. Take a rest on the accident scene. Before traffic patrols get to remove injury debris from your wound, capture your injuries. Be conscious of witnesses around the accident scene and get information from them and their contact information.
What is the most common injury in a motorcycle accident in Queens?
The most common injuries in motorcycle accident cases in Queens are lower-extremity injuries. Such injuries usually occur on the leg and pelvis region during motor collisions. These injuries are very frequent in motorcycle accidents.
Can a motorcycle accident change your personality?
A lack of inhibition can be caused by damage to the brain stem. Brain healing usually makes this change disappear; it could be permanent too. Frustrations related to brain injuries can also cause personality changes.
What are most lawyer fees for a car accident?
The fees vary depending on how long or complex a case is; lawyers typically pay 33%; therefore, the attorney will receive around $23,000.
Contact Elliot Ifraimoff & Associates, PC for effective legal representation.
Suppose you believe another person’s negligence caused the accident, have severe injuries or are hurt through no fault of yours. In that case, you should see a Queens motorcycle accident lawyer about your case.
The Queens’ motorcycle accident lawyers at Elliot Ifraimoff & Associates act on behalf of victims injured in motorcycle accidents.
Hiring a motorcycle accident lawyer from Elliot Ifraimoff & Associates gives you the leverage of free consultation. As a personal injury law firm, our fees are contingent and are only collected when you win the case.
Our experienced legal team tends to your personal injury claim and ensures you receive maximum compensation from your personal injury case for pain and suffering, medical treatment, and lost wages.
Call us at (718) 205-1010 and get the best Queens motorcycle accident attorney on your side.
