The vast majority of vehicles one encounters out on the road are passenger cars and trucks. Since drivers see these vehicles day in and day out, hundreds of thousands of times, drivers begin to feel comfortable assessing the speed at which these vehicles are traveling. Drivers make these assessments at any time they need to gauge how much time they have to complete a turn or clear an intersection.
However, motorists are notoriously bad at assessing the speed of oncoming motorcycles. This is likely because drivers see motorcyclists less often and are not as familiar with gauging a motorcycle’s speed. In addition, their smaller profile often leads a driver to assume that a motorcycle is actually moving more slowly than it really is. This can have drastic consequences when a motorist is waiting at an intersection to make a turn and incorrectly estimates the amount of time they have to clear the intersection.
In these situations, the motorist may be at fault for the accident, as long as the motorcyclist is not traveling in excess of the posted speed limit. If the motorcyclist is speeding, he or she may be deemed to be at fault. In the alternative, even if the motorcyclist is not “at fault” in the accident, the fact that the motorcyclist contributed to their own injury may act to bar the motorcyclist from financial recovery in Maryland or Washington, D.C. This is because both jurisdictions apply the strict doctrine of “contributory negligence,” which denies an accident victim the ability to recover compensation for their injuries if they are at all at fault for the accident.
Failure-to-Yield Motorcycle Accident Kills One
Earlier this month, one motorcyclist was killed when a motorist attempted to make a turn in front of him but misjudged the amount of time he had to complete the turn. According to one local news source reporting on the accident, the driver ended up striking the motorcycle as the motorcycle entered the intersection. The motorcyclist was thrown from the bike upon impact and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. The other driver was not injured. However, charges are pending against the driver for her role in the fatal motorcycle accident.
Have You Been Injured in a Maryland Motorcycle Accident?
If you or a loved one has recently been involved in any kind of motorcycle accident occurring in Maryland or Washington, D.C., you may be entitled to monetary compensation through either a negligence or a wrongful death lawsuit. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, you may be able to recover amounts for past and future medical expenses related to the accident, lost wages while recovering from your injuries, and any pain and suffering you sustained as a result of the accident. Call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation with an experienced Maryland personal injury attorney to discuss your case. You will not be charged for our services unless we are able to help you obtain compensation.
More Blog Posts:
Aggressive Driving and Maryland Motorcycle Accidents, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published February 4, 2016.
A Motorcyclist’s Liability to His or Her Passenger, Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog, published February 18, 2016.