Motorcycle Intersection Accidents

Motorcycle riders are most vulnerable to serious injury and death because of the exposure to collisions they have to heavier and larger motor vehicles, SUVs and trucks. Motorcyclists are also more vulnerable to skid outs and other types of one motorcycle accidents that cause serious injuries to riders. One of the most dangerous places for motorcycle riders is the intersection of roads, streets and highways. There are a variety of intersection conditions that can lead to serious injuries to motorcyclists such as:

• Another motorist chooses not to yield the right of way at the intersection to the motorcycle rider;
• The operator of another motor vehicle speeds through the intersection in an attempt to beat a changing traffic light;
• An operator of a motor vehicle or truck makes a left turn and chooses not to yield the right of way to the motorcyclist;
• The operator of the other motor vehicle or truck does not see the motorcyclist stopped at the intersection and hits the rear-end of the motorcycle;
• The operator of another motor vehicle or truck collides with a motorcyclist head- on.

Many of these intersection crashes and accidents are caused by distracted or inattentive motorists. Because of the size of most motorcycles, drivers of other vehicles and trucks may have limited view to see the motorcycle from their vantage point.

One of the greater risks of motorcycle driving is traveling through intersections. The danger at intersections of motorcycle riders is with other motorists who may not see the motorcyclist. Illinois traffic laws require every driver to obey traffic signals.

A motorcyclist who is injured or killed in an intersection accident as a result of the negligence of another motorist or truck driver has the right of compensation under Illinois law. With more than 40 years of experience, Kreisman Law Offices has represented motorcycle drivers and passengers successfully over these many years.

Kreisman Law Offices recently handled a tragic motorcycle intersection incident where the motorist turning left at an uncontrolled intersection claimed not to have seen our client’s son who was traveling in the opposite direction on his motorcycle. The collision of the car with the motorcyclist was fatal to the motorcycle rider. The defendant driver turned right into the motorcycle with no warning. This tragic death should have been avoided had the car driver been paying attention to oncoming traffic.

In another case, a construction crew left the roadway littered with rocks, gravel and other construction debris when it left the construction site that night. When our client driving a motorcycle with a passenger crossed that intersection, his motorcycle spun out of control on the gravel scattered about and crashed into an embankment. He and his passenger were seriously injured. The claim was to hold responsible the contractors who left the area in that dangerous condition.

Illinois motorists have a duty to exercise reasonable care when approaching or driving through an intersection. That duty includes watching to make sure it is safe to pass. Many motorcycle accidents occur in intersections, often times because another motorist claims not to have seen an approaching motorcycle. Even if the motorist believes it is safe to proceed through an intersection because the light has changed to green or a complete stop has been made at a boulevard stop, drivers must be certain that no oncoming motorcycle is moving into the path of the driver of a motor vehicle. It is always best to take every precaution especially because motorcycles are more difficult to identify while driving a car or truck. This is especially true because motorcyclists are so vulnerable in an impact with the much larger and heavier car or truck.

With our years of experience in trying and settling motorcycle accident cases, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients and have achieved unsurpassed results. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online. There is no charge for a consultation that will include an evaluation of your case, assessment of your damages such as lost income, lost wages, medical and hospital bills, past and future pain and suffering, loss of normal life and wrongful death.