Even during the joyous act of motorcycling in Utah, accidents can and do happen

May 17, 2013

Utah has its share of avid motorcycle enthusiasts and it's not hard to understand why. The natural wonders of the Beehive State are among our country's most breathtaking and beckon motorcyclists to the open roads, including 27 scenic byways.

From Zion Canyon, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon and Rocky Mountain vistas to the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, sandstone arches, deserts and magnificent pine forests -- just to name a few attractions -- Utah is a biker's paradise.

Unfortunately, despite the great satisfaction people get from motorcycle trips in the state, motorcyclists are also in great danger of physical harm on Utah's roads because of the vulnerability of the human body in motorcycle accidents. Flesh, bones and organs can be severely injured by violent contact with cars, trucks, immovable objects and pavement.

For example, a survey of recent Utah news provides a sampling of such mishaps:
- In southwest suburban Salt Lake City, a motorcyclist was thrown into the bed of a pickup truck when he struck the back of the vehicle, sustaining broken arms and head injuries.
- In Ogden, a 24-year-old motorcyclist lost his leg in a crash with a pickup that was pulling out of a parking lot.
- In north suburban Salt Lake City, two riders flew off their motorcycles when they collided, with one of them sustaining fatal head injuries.

By the numbers

The Utah Department of Public Safety provides Utah motorcycle accident statistics for 2010:
- A motor-vehicle accident that involved a motorcycle was almost five times more likely to cause a death than crashes not involving cycles.
- 2010 saw just over 1,000 motorcycle accidents in the state with almost 1,000 injured cyclists and 21 motorcyclist fatalities.
- In almost one-third of those accidents where drivers hit motorcycles, the vehicle drivers were making left turns.
- Most motorcycle accidents happened in the afternoon.
- Almost 90 percent of motorcycles in fatal accidents were moving at least 40 mph.
- Almost half of motorcyclists in collisions were less than 35 years old.
- The top causes of motorcycle crashes were speeding too fast, not staying in the proper lane, following too closely, swerving and running off the highway.

Follow the law and take precautions

With spring and summer upon us, it behooves every Utah motorcyclist to follow common-sense safety practices like wearing a federally approved helmet; donning protective clothing and eye protection; keeping his or her bike well maintained; following the rules of the road; keeping a safe distance from other vehicles; avoiding driving in trucks' blind spots; and adjusting speed for poor visibility, bad weather and wet pavement.

However, despite careful and responsible motorcycle driving, sometimes bikers are hurt or killed in accidents caused in part or in whole by the negligence or recklessness of other drivers. Other potentially responsible parties can include public entities or private contractors that may have contributed to poor road design or negligent road maintenance, sellers or manufacturers of defective motorcycle equipment and others.

Get legal advice

Any motorcyclist or motorcycle passenger injured in a Utah collision should seek the legal advice of an experienced personal injury attorney to understand his or her options for recovery and legal remedies. Likewise, any survivor of a loved one who died in such a crash should speak to a lawyer about the possibility of a wrongful death lawsuit.

Article provided by Eisenberg Gilchrist & Cutt
Visit us at www.egclegal.com