Ventura County Motorcycle and Truck Collision Attorney

Some of the most devastating personal injuries on the roadway occur in motorcycle versus truck collisions. While many of these harrowing accidents end with fatalities—14 percent of fatalities on the nation’s roadways in 2019 involved motorcyclists and their passengers—other victims in a motorcycle versus truck collisions are left with lifelong injuries, permanent disabilities, and disfigurements. If you are a motorcyclist who has experienced catastrophic or serious injuries on the roadway, you should reach out to a Ventura County motorcycle collision attorney right away to learn more about your right to collect damages from the at-fault party.

A Crashworthy Design

By their very design, motorcycles have always been far less crashworthy than the typical motor vehicle. A motorcycle is not only less visible to others on the roadway—including both pedestrians and other motorists—they are also less stable than conventional cars. What’s more, to ride a motorcycle, you need a different set of skills than you need to drive a car, including both mental and physical abilities. Because of these factors, motorcyclists and any passengers they transport have a heightened vulnerability on the roadway when compared to other drivers, including facing hazards in road conditions and weather conditions that these drivers don’t face.

Motorcycle Injury Statistics

In 2019 alone, over 5,000 motorcyclists were killed in devastating accidents across the United States. Estimates from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) hold that around 84,000 motorcyclists were injured, many of them seriously so, and a number of them in motorcycle versus truck collision events. Motorcycle crashes with fatal outcomes had a higher percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers than other crash types, with 29 percent of fatalities involved. More than half of those killed were not wearing helmets, at least in states with no universal helmet laws. In California, only 6 percent of fatalities were unhelmeted, which is a fairly good statistic when compared with states where unhelmeted deceased motorcyclists can reach as much as 80 percent (Iowa) and 77 percent (South Carolina).

Motorcycle Versus Truck Accident Causes

When compared to a truck, a motorcycle is certainly no match. A truck’s sheer size and mammoth weight make it the true contender when these two meet. Trucks also have extensive blind spots that surround them, making it harder to see motorcyclists approach, and because of a motorcycle’s size in comparison to other vehicles on the road, it can appear to be farther away than it really is in the rearview or side mirror of a truck (or any vehicle, for that matter).

Another reason that motorcyclists may become injured on California’s roadways is that lane splitting is legal and allows motorcycle riders to weave between lanes of traffic—which often results in misjudging the intentions and speed of vehicles on the road, leading to accidents.

Compensation for Motorcycle Versus Truck Injuries

If you have been in a motorcycle versus truck crash, you have a right to collect damages from the at-fault party. Reach out to the Law Offices of J. Jeffrey Herman to speak with a Ventura County motorcycle and truck collision attorney about filing a claim to recoup your medical costs, lost wages, and more. Contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 805-983-2344.