There are many motorcyclists in and around the Denver area. Unfortunately, motorcyclists are more vulnerable on the roadway than are drivers and passengers inside traditional vehicles. A sudden stop on the roadway can lead to a motorcyclist sustaining significant injuries. Here, we want to discuss why sudden stops can lead to severe injuries for a motorcyclist as well as whether or not other individuals on the roadway can be held responsible for injuries caused by a motorcyclist having to come to a sudden stop.
One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents involves sudden stops. Unfortunately, sudden stops can result in much more dangerous situations for a motorcyclist than for traditional passenger vehicles. When regular vehicles come to a sudden stop, they may skid a little bit, and they could even strike the vehicle in front of them or go off the road.
However, a sudden stop can cause a motorcycle to cartwheel forward, turn end-over-end, and catapult the motorcycle rider onto the roadway or off the road. Unfortunately, these incidents often result in serious injuries or motorcyclist death, particularly if the rider strikes any objects while moving at high speeds. Additionally, these sudden stop accidents could lead to a motorcyclist slamming directly into a vehicle in front of them with no time to react.
There are various ways that motorcycle sudden stop accidents can occur. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
It is not uncommon for individuals involved in these accidents to sustain one or more of the following:
In order for a motorcyclist to be able to bring an injury claim or file a personal injury lawsuit against another party, they will have to show that someone else was at fault for their injuries. In general, all drivers on the roadway, including motorcyclists, are required to leave enough space between themselves and vehicles in front of them so that they can slow down appropriately if a sudden stop occurs. Rear-end accidents caused by sudden stops are often the fault of the rear driver.
However, it is certainly not the case that all sudden stop accidents will be the fault of somebody else. There are times when a front driver may be partially or completely at fault for the motorcycle accident. Additionally, if a pedestrian or bicyclist crossed a road illegally and caused a sudden stop accident, they could also be held responsible for the crash. Finally, if improper or faulty roadway construction or maintenance leads to a motorcycle sudden stop accident, construction companies or municipalities may hold liability as well.
