When you ride your motorcycle, you recognize the risks involved and strive to stay safe. Fortunately, there is a range of safety measures to prevent motorcycle accidents in Walterboro. However, if you are injured due to the negligence of another motorist, you should contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney at Whetstone Perkins & Fulda as soon as possible.
Do Not Ignore Your Vulnerabilities
When riding your motorcycle, you are clearly more vulnerable to the immense impact of an accident. Being aware of all relevant risk factors is crucial for your safety, accident prevention, and to identify liability in the event of a motorcycle crash in Walterboro.
Instead of the protection of a car’s body, you only have your helmet and clothing to provide a buffer, which is exacerbated as you can stop more quickly than other drivers, making you more likely to be rear-ended by distracted, speeding, or impaired drivers. Bad weather and poorly maintained roads affect motorcyclists more severely than other motorists. Because motorcycles take up less space on the road, other drivers are more likely to lose sight of them in blind spots and struggle to judge their speed and distance at intersections.
Although these are all issues that you should consider, they are also concerns that every motorist should recognize and safely accommodate. Ultimately, drivers have a serious responsibility to everyone on the road, including motorcyclists.
Do Not Forget Your Helmet
Pursuant to S.C. Code § 56-5-3660, you are not required to wear a motorcycle helmet in South Carolina if you are at least 21 years old. However, you are far safer when you wear a helmet, as helmets save lives in the event of accidents in Walterboro.
If you always wear a well-fitting helmet that meets NHTSA’s safety requirements, you are protecting yourself. It also helps in the event of a crash, as not wearing a helmet could potentially affect the outcome of your motorcycle accident claim.
Do Not Drink and Drive
Driving under the influence of alcohol is always a bad idea. When combined with the risk factors of riding your bike, the related danger is amplified. When you are on your motorbike in Walterboro, prioritizing safety is the best way to help ensure that you arrive alive.
Do Not Speed
Excess speed is a prime factor in fatal accidents of all kinds, including motorcycle crashes. Speeding can mean failing to adhere to the posted speed limit. However, it also occurs when you drive too fast in relation to the road conditions and the effects of bad weather on it.
When riding in Walterboro, adjusting your speed in relation to the driving conditions is paramount to safety. This often means staying below the speed limit.
Why Should You Ride Defensively?
When it comes to your motorcycle, driving defensively involves carefully considering your vulnerabilities and proceeding accordingly. One of the best approaches is assuming that other drivers have not seen you—in reality, many do not even look.
While everyone who drives accepts their responsibility for the safety of others, too many drivers fail to look for and see motorcyclists. In Walterboro, if you proceed as if your motorcycle is invisible to other drivers, you bolster your safety and prevent accidents.
Enter Intersections with Care
Motorcyclists face the greatest risk of injury when passing through intersections, so they must double-check before entering. Even a green light is no guarantee that it is safe for you to proceed. Your goal is staying safe, which means you need to take extra precautions in Walterboro.
Contact an Experienced Walterboro Lawyer To Discuss Motorcycle Safety
There are many possible safety measures to prevent motorcycle accidents in Walterboro. However, if you have been injured by another driver’s negligence while riding your motorbike, now is the time for action.
The compassionate motorcycle accident attorneys at Whetstone Perkins & Fulda fiercely advocate for your rights and your rightful compensation. Learn more by contacting us today, either online or by phone.
