Ohio motorcycle riders face serious safety hazards on the roads of Akron. According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, there were 4,235 motorcycle accidents reported in Ohio in 2016. These accidents resulted in 200 deaths and 3,513 injuries. The statistics are even more troubling for riders who did not wear helmets.
Twenty-five percent of the fatality victims were wearing helmets, while nearly 70 percent were not. This means that fatality victims are almost three times as likely to not be wearing a helmet at the time of a motorcycle accident. Helmet use can also reduce the severity of injuries that are sustained in an accident.
But good riding skills can drastically reduce the odds of being involved in a motorcycle accident at all.
Essential Safe-Riding Skills
Motorcycle.com recently highlighted some of the basic riding skills that are essential to motorcycle safety. These include proper control of the clutch and throttle in order to facilitate smooth downshifting. Unique braking skills are also required to operate a motorcycle. Because the rider must account for shifts in his or her center of gravity, as well as the potential to lock the wheels during braking, it is important that riders learn proper braking skills specific to the operation of a motorcycle.
Steering, too, can be a particular challenge for motorcycle riders. Because the center of gravity shifts so much during a turn, the rider must turn in the desired direction, then slowly steer in the opposite direction in order to prevent toppling. This is known as counter-steering. It can feel counter-intuitive, and this makes it difficult to master. Even experienced riders may occasionally fall back to driving habits from driving passenger vehicles. It is important for drivers to learn counter-steering skills in a motorcycle education course, practice the skill in a safe setting free of traffic, then hone these skills with continual riding practice.
Who is Responsible for a Motorcycle Accident?
A motorcycle rider's inexperience or lack of riding skills can be a contributing factor to a motorcycle accident. As a result, a motorcycle injury victim may be able to recover only partial compensation for his or her injuries - even if another driver was also at fault for the accident. It is important for Ohio motorcycle riders to keep their skills sharp in order to avoid such liability and protect their right to be compensated from other negligent drivers.
An inexperienced motorcycle rider can also be found legally responsible for injuries caused to a passenger in such an accident. An Akron motorcycle accident attorney will be able to meet the unique needs of motorcycle riders in handling these and other types of personal injury claims.
Ultimately, each motorcycle rider is responsible for learning proper motorcycle skills, and keeping these skills sharp through practice and continuing education. These actions not only help meet the legal duty to be a reasonably prudent motorcycle rider, but also help protect riders from the possibility of accidents, injuries, and the lifelong consequences that can occur as the result of a motorcycle accident.