Maryland Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog

Maryland Bike Injury Update: Bicycle Safety Equipment can Reduce Chance of Serious or Fatal Accidents

March 24, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Almost every time a person is involved in a bicycle-auto accident the bike rider is almost guaranteed to be seriously injured. Various factors will determine to what extent those injuries are suffered, but the outcome is rarely good for the cyclist. As a Baltimore injury accident attorney, I have come across some fairly horrendous cases.

Injuries typically sustained by cyclists in automobile-related traffic accidents range from simple bruises and scratches to broken bones, spine and neck trauma, and serious head injuries. Fatalities are not uncommon as are permanently disabilities that make even the simplest of tasks nearly impossible and requiring the assistance of a full-time caregiver.

Although I and my colleagues are always ready and willing to assist victims of bicycle-car or bike-truck crashes, we would much rather that people not become injured in the first place. To that end, below are a few suggestions or pointers to keep in mind when planning your next foray onto the streets and roadways of Maryland’s cities, suburbs and rural areas.

Accessories that Can Make a Difference

The following items can be very helpful in either preventing an accident or lessening the effects of a collision with a delivery truck, car or SUV. Although nothing can protect a rider completely, these accessories may be able to keep potential injuries to a minimum.

Helmet — Certainly the most important of all safety-related cycling equipment, a properly fitted helmet can make the difference between surviving a traffic accident on your bike and never coming home again. Ask any safety expert and you’ll learn that bicycle helmets can reduce significantly the number and severity of head injuries sustained in a car-bicycle accident or even a single-bike crash.

Horn — Prevention is the key to safety when riding a bicycle in busy city centers and even in sleepy neighborhoods. To be sure, many bike accidents happen because a driver does not see an approaching cyclist and either turns or pulls out in front of a cyclist. A loud horn mounted to your bike will greatly improve your chances of being heard, then seen and hopefully avoided.

Mirrors — Bicycle riders can make very good use of rear-view mirrors to better see what vehicles are approaching from behind. Knowledge is power and knowing whether a large delivery truck is about to pass you can help you prepare. Mirrors can be attached to handlebars or helmets. New cycling-specific sunglasses come equipped with small mirrors that allow the rider to see behind. This is extremely important as the statistics show that many cyclists are hit from behind by vehicles they were never even aware of before the crash.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident Update: Common Causes of Maryland Biker Crashes

March 16, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a Baltimore Injury Accident attorney, my office handles numerous motorcycle accident cases around Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area. Motorcycle injury accidents can be much more severe than automobile accidents given the same circumstances. This is due to the relatively little protection that bikes offer the operator, as opposed to occupants of cars or trucks.

Considering the increased chances of serious injury or even death, motorcycle riders should always use extreme caution when traveling in high traffic areas or when taking up riding following a long break, such as this past winter season. Because most riders tend to park their cycles during the cold winter months, automobile and truck drivers are likely less aware of bikers when the spring weather entices riders to dust off their bikes and hit the roads.

With this in mind, here are a few points to remember before you start out on your first ride of the year. Keep in mind that motorcycle accidents can occur almost anytime of the day or night. Whether you live or work in Baltimore, Gaithersburg, Hagerstown or the District, there are many different kinds of motorcycle accidents, though some types happen more often than others:

Motorcycle-automobile Crashes

While the public may think otherwise, it’s not necessarily true that motorcycle accidents are caused mainly by aggressive driving on the part of the motorcycle rider. The truth is that the major cause of motorcycle accidents can be traced back to the fact that motorists and truck drivers simply do not see bikers and their machines. Many of these wrecks happen because the smaller profile that a motorcycle presents in traffic makes it difficult to spot.

Whether hidden behind another vehicle or out of sight in a driver’s blind spot, it’s a dangerous situation when car and truck operators cannot detect the presence of a biker. Poor weather or nighttime conditions can also cause problems for motorists who may not be expecting a motorcycle when turning or passing another vehicle. Many injury accidents can be prevented if drivers of four-wheelers and trucks took that extra effort to double-check their blind spots or scan the roadway fully before turning or merging.

Maryland Bike Injury Update: Reducing Tragic Car-Bicycle Accidents by Teaching Kids Safe Riding Techniques

March 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

As a personal injury attorney practicing in the Baltimore area and representing residents of Maryland injured in bicycle accidents around the state, I have a detailed understanding of how an auto-bike crash can change the course of a person’s life. Whether it is a youngster riding a new bicycle around his or her neighborhood, or a teenager going to class at a local junior or senior high school, accidents can occur anywhere cars and kids on bikes meet.

Safety starts at home and parents can do much to instill in their children the correct and safe way to operate their bikes on public roads. Bicycle riding can be a pleasant way to commute and has always been a rite of passage for kids getting their first two-wheeler. But with this enhanced mobility comes added responsibility, both for the parents and the kids.

For most children, riding a bicycle throughout their neighborhood or to get to school can result in many wonderful childhood memories. But sadly, every year hundreds of kids are either killed or seriously injured in automobile-bicycle accidents. Making sure that your child does not become part of this tragic statistic is every mother and father’s goal. Here are a few tips on teaching kids about bicycle safety:

1) Be aware of your surroundings. One of the most important things you can teach your children is to understand the local traffic environment. This is especially important because kids usually haven’t honed their powers of observation by the age they get their first bike.

As a parent or guardian, you should try to teach your child to carefully observe their environment. This is critical to all other safety tips you give them for riding their bike near motor vehicle traffic. Insist that they keep their eyes and ears open at all times while riding a bicycle, even if it’s right in front of their own home in a quiet neighborhood.

2) Wear that helmet. While you can teach kids everything they need to know about safe riding, accidents can and do still happen, even to the best prepared riders. In such cases, it is very important that your child have as much protection as possible in the event of a crash. Wearing a properly fitted and right-sized helmet can make the difference between a minor accident with just bruises and scratches and a potentially life-threatening crash.

Baltimore Motorcycle Accident and Injury Update: Maryland’s Motorcycle Law Specifics Aim at Rider Safety

February 28, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

If you know anyone who has been hurt in a motorcycle crash, you can understand how serious a rider’s injuries can be especially when compared to a similar car or truck accident. The laws of physics apply equally to bikes and passenger cars, however when it comes to bodily injury size does matter — in the motorcycle versus car arena, the motorcycle usually loses out, and so does the rider.

As Baltimore personal injury lawyers and motorcycle accident attorneys, our office is well-equipped to represent victims of traffic collisions involving motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and other two-wheeled vehicles. Motorcycle injury accidents can take a devastating toll on riders and their passengers. Hospital bills can cause problems for families just getting by, and any lost wages due to extended rehabilitation, temporary or permanent disability can make it particularly hard.

The state of Maryland has laws on the books that are designed to help protect riders and in doing so provide safer and less dangerous traffic conditions for riders and drivers alike.

Motorcycle-specific traffic laws, such as helmet regulations and lane-sharing laws, vary from state to state. Still, it is crucial that all drivers on public roads understand and abide by these rules. Knowing and following helmet and riding laws will help prevent motorcycle accidents across Maryland. The flowing is a listing of some of the key laws in place that can help save your life, or the life of someone you know.

1) Every rider is required to wear a helmet while operating a motorcycle on Maryland’s city streets, county roads, highways, and interstates — all public roads. Operators of off-road vehicles such as dirt bikes and trials bikes are not required to wear helmets – although helmet use has distinct safety benefits in this area as well.

2) Eye protection is required on all on-road bikes, unless that vehicle is equipped with a windscreen. Similarly, dirt bike riders and operators of other off-road vehicles are not required to wear eye protection.

3) Headlamp use is also an important safety point. And while Maryland law does not require motorcycle riders to operate their headlamp(s) during the daytime, it is highly advisable to always run with your headlamps on. In fact, it is more or less universally agreed that using your headlight during the day reduces your chances of being hit by another vehicle, such as a truck or passenger car.

Baltimore Bicycle Accident Update: Safety Equipment for Bikes could Help Save Lives

February 23, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Being a personal injury lawyer and practicing Maryland bicycle accident attorney I understand the causes for bicycling injuries in and around large municipalities. Living and working in Baltimore, Annapolis, D.C. and other cities around the state, cyclists must be constantly aware of the dangers presented by other vehicular traffic, as well as watch out for pedestrians and parked cars.

Although bicycle crashes cannot totally be prevented, having some key safety equipment on your bike can make a big difference in helping riders avoid serious injury or death. Cycling is fun, rewarding and healthy, not to mention energy efficient and economical. Although the weather is still rather cold and snowy for most riders’ comfort, the following tips can get you in a safe state of mind once spring rolls around.

Here are five useful accessories that every bicycle rider should consider from the standpoint of accident avoidance and crash survival. Whether you choose to include any or all of the following items in your compliment of cycling gear is up to you. Just keep in mind that any time an automobile and a bicycle meet in a traffic collision, the bike and its rider are usually the ones to suffer.

1) Audible signaling device, such as a horn. Most bike accidents happen when the driver of a car, truck or SUV does not see the cyclist approaching and turns his vehicle into the bike’s path. Having a load horn, especially in loud urban setting, could help to get a driver’s attention before disaster strikes.

2) A rear-view mirror. A large number of cycling-related injuries and deaths are attributed to the rider being hit from behind by a motor vehicle, such as a delivery truck, city bus or passenger car. Using a rearview mirror can help riders avoid this kind of accident by allowing them to see what’s approaching from behind.

For relatively little money, cyclists can purchase rear-view mirrors that clip to the bike’s handlebars, or onto the rider’s helmet. Some newer cycling glasses combine sunglasses with tiny rear-view mirrors built right into the frames.

3) A headlamp. Maryland, like most other states, requires cyclists to have an operating headlamp for use after dark. Although your odds of being cited for not having a headlamp could be quite low, not taking advantage of a headlamp for night riding would be inviting danger on the road. A headlamp serves two separate and distinct functions; first it provides needed forward lighting so that the rider can actually see the roadway ahead of him or her, and thus avoid potholes or road debris that could cause a puncture or serious injury; second, it lets other drivers and slower-moving pedestrians see you coming in the dark, and hopefully avoid a possible accident.

Maryland Bike Safety News: State Seeks to Reduce Car-Bicycle Accidents with New Legislation

February 18, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

In Baltimore, Annapolis, the District of Columbia, and other municipalities across Maryland and the surrounding area, more and more people are riding bicycles as a way to reduce commuting costs and lead healthier lives. As a bicycle accident attorney and experienced personal injury lawyer, I know the freedom and invigoration that bike riding provides many in our community.

Unfortunately, with more people bicycling to work and school, the potential for bodily injury may also be on the rise. It’s not unusual for a rider to sustain broken bones and lacerations as a result of a collision with a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, SUV or delivery truck. Instances of car-bike accidents usually increase with the higher traffic density found in medium and large metropolitan areas.

In an effort to alleviate, or at least limit the potential for traffic accidents involving bicyclists, our state legislature is doing its part to help cyclists have more rights on publics roads. According to news reports, the Maryland Senate this recently approved a measure requiring motorists to give bicycles, scooters and other personal transportation devices, such as Segways, at least three feet of space whenever possible.

Motorcycle Accident Update: Safety should be Priority One as Bike Riders Prepare for the Spring Thaw

February 12, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

This time of year any motorcycle rider worth his salt is experiencing more than a little cabin fever, waiting for the snow and ice to clear and the days to warm up. We’re still weeks away from any decent riding weather, but it never hurts to brush up on rider safety prior to that first warm, dry day. Whether you ride a cruiser, chopper, crotch-rocket or scooter, accidents can happen to anyone, any time.

As a Maryland motorcycle accident attorney and personal injury lawyer, I’ve met my share of riders in both good and bad circumstances. Unfortunately, injuries caused by motorcycle crashes can be much more severe than those of car accidents. Safety is always in the mind of a good rider, and should be foremost in the minds of all motorcycle riders as spring approaches.

Among things to remember as the weather warms up are riding in rain and at night. Spring brings warmer days, but it also brings rain showers and wet roadways. Although it’s more enjoyable to ride in the dry, every rider will get caught in rain at some time or another.

Riding in the rain has its own safety concerns and it takes more than throwing on a rain suit to prepare for wet pavement. Your gear is important, of course. Make sure your rain gloves and boots fit correctly — badly fitting equipment can interfere with your ability to brake and shift properly. Poorly fitting gear has probably led to more than one fatal motorcycle wreck.

Every driver should know to use extra caution at the first sign of rain. This is when the water tends to sit on oily patches, especially at intersections. As that water finds the low spots in the roadway, it mixes with the oil residue making things extremely slippery. As a motorcycle rider, this should be your main concern when those first rain drops hit your windscreen.

Many a prudent rider will take the opportunity to stop for a cup of coffee when it starts to rain. This allows some of that oil-water mix to be washed away and also gives the rider time to put on some rain gear. If you’re lucky, it’s just a quick shower, but even so, keep in mind that even damp pavement offers less traction than dry.

In spring, the days are getting longer, but night riding is still a reality. Remember that dusk is actually the worst time for all drivers. This is when people’s eyes are getting adjusted to driving or riding by headlights, not daylight. It’s especially important to be extra cautious just after sunset.

It never hurts to slow down somewhat when riding at night, especially on any winding road. Take advantage of the headlights of vehicles in front of you to see farther. Be especially careful to keep an eye on the road surface, since at night it is much more difficult to see sandy patches or other debris on the roadway.

Lagging Maryland Traffic Laws, Increasing Bike Usage Make Car-Bicycle Traffic Accidents More Possible, Deadlier

January 24, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

It won’t be long before the promise of spring weather entices more and more cyclists out onto the roads in and around cities like Annapolis, Bethesda and D.C., among others. As Maryland traffic accident injury attorneys, the staff at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers can see a shift toward greater environmental consciousness, so it’s not surprising that more people are using bicycles to get to work, school or even to the store for some light shopping.

Unfortunately, even though more riders are out on the roads, our traffic laws and driver awareness are apparently behind the times. What does this mean in terms of increased traffic accidents and bicycle riding injuries? According to a recent editorial, the percentage of people using bikes for transportation has been on the rise for nearly 20 years, with no expectation that this trend will change any time soon.

To accommodate this increase in two-wheeled traffic, engineers and traffic planners have been working to update the state’s infrastructure and to encourage cycling and create a more safe environment for autos and bikes to coexist. There has also been a call for improved and updated legislation as well.

Baltimore Motorcycle Injury Update: Bike Wrecks and Serious Injuries can happen Anywhere, Anytime

January 15, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

Regardless of your level of experience in riding motorcycles, accidents can and do happen. Whatever you ride, be it a cruiser, chopper or crotch-rocket, the dangers on Maryland’s urban and rural roads are many and varied. As a personal injury and motorcycle accident lawyer serving residents of Baltimore, Annapolis, the District and the rest of the state, I have seen the results of bike crashes and the bodily injuries that can be sustained.

Traffic accidents are inevitable with so many cars and trucks on the road. But even when multi-vehicle accidents — that is a truck- or car-motorcycle collision — there are always the single-bike accidents to consider. Whether a wreck is caused by defective equipment such as a poorly maintained fork assembly, worn-out wheel bearing or bad brakes, or by an external cause, the outcome can be serious.

Motorcycles provide much fun and excitement, but they also must be respected. High speeds and rider inattention are a recipe for disaster. Whatever the cause, a motorcycle crash can cause severe injuries including broken bones, scrapes, gashes and road rash, traumatic brain injuries and spinal damage. Maryland’s helmet law is something that has saved many lives, but a helmet can’t keep a rider from making a fatal mistake or underestimating local conditions.

Washington County Motorist Fined $140 for Negligent Driving Accident that Seriously Injured Young Bicycle Rider

January 9, 2010 | Lebowitz & Mzhen

A motorist from Fairplay, MD, was ordered to pay $140 as a fine stemming from a 2009 accident that seriously injured an 8-year-old boy riding his bicycle. The fine, which was for negligent driving, was levied against Meghann Marie Weaver, 21, by the Washington County District Court. The accident occurred on August 27 along a stretch of Jordan Road. As a Maryland personal injury attorney, I have seen numerous reports of car-bicycle accident during my career — those that involve children can be the most tragic.

In this case, while the child was not killed in the accident, one of the young rider’s legs had to amputated at mid-shin. According to reports, he has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Kennedy-Krieger Institute in Baltimore. Unfortunately, this youngster will carry with him a life-long disability as a result of another person’s negligent behavior.

According to court records, other charges of reckless driving and driving a vehicle in excess of reasonable and prudent speed on a highway were dropped by the prosecutor’s office. Based on the police investigation, alcohol was not a factor in the accident.