Right of Way Violations Lead to Motorcycle Accidents in Tennessee

People who ride motorcycles do not do it because it is the easiest way to get from Point A to Point B, they ride because there in an indescribable sense of freedom in taking to the road with minimal barriers between the rider and the environment in which he or she travels.  However, the very freedom that motorcycles offer comes at a high cost when there is an accident.  The lack of a steel frame or airbags means that a rider is much more likely to suffer serious injuries.  Many times, those injuries are the result of the negligence of other drivers on the road with the bike.

When a car fails to respect the shared space, the results can be horrific.  In Tennessee, there are approximately 2,500 motorcycle accidents each year and of those, around 140 people die as a result of the crash.  Many of these accidents involve a collision between a car and a bike where the car failed to yield or violated the right-of-way of the biker.  This may be caused by distracted drivers who do not adequately survey their surroundings by taking an action that places them directly in the path of a bike.  Some drivers are merely aggressive, believing that they can claim the real estate already occupied by the biker.  Others mistakenly believe they have more room to move over or pass than actually exists.  When there is an impact between the much heavier car and the motorcycle, the bike has little chance of coming out the winner.

Often, right-of-way violations happen in busy thoroughfares or on highways where speed is a factor.  Some of the most common locations where an accident is likely to occur include:

• Road construction sites;
• Exit and entrance ramps;
• Pedestrian crosswalks;
• Three or four-way stops; and
• Pedestrian crosswalks.

In addition to specific areas where a right-of-way violation may lead to an accident between a car and a motorcycle, there are certain scenarios that produce a large number of motorcycle accidents, such as:

• A driver runs a red light and cannot avoid the motorcycle by the time he sees it;
• A car changes lanes without properly checking blind spots to make sure that a bike is not traveling in that lane;
• A vehicle does not signal its intent to change lanes, thereby moving into the path of an unknowing biker;
• A motorcycle is making a left turn in a non-designated, or unprotected, lane and a car does not observe the stopped bike until it is too late to avoid the accident; and
• A car crosses the center divider, whether to pass another vehicle or as the result of distracted driving, and impacts a motorcycle traveling in the other direction.

There are many different ways in which a car or other vehicle can fail to yield to a motorcycle or otherwise violate the biker’s right-of-way.  However, the biker is likely to take the brunt of that bad decision.  If the car impacts the biker directly, there likely will be broken bones and crush injuries, coupled with severe road rash once the biker has skidded across the asphalt or other hard surface.  In addition, there could be a secondary impact with a fixed object at the scene of the accident.  These injuries often are devastating and will require years of medical treatment and rehabilitation before the biker can get back to the activity that he loves, if it is even possible.

As a biker who has been injured in a collision with another vehicle, you face the daunting task of healing from your injuries.  The experienced Tennessee motorcycle accident attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC know how traumatic this has been for you and we want to offer you assistance so that you can focus on your recovery.  To schedule a time to discuss what happened to you, please call us at 901-680-9777.  We will work with you to devise the best legal strategy for you and your family.  At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are small enough to care, big enough to fight, and experienced enough to win.