Watch Out for Students on Two Wheels as Fall Semester Begins

September 19, 2010 (Press-News.org) Fall semester is back in full swing and Salt Lake City students are using their trusty two-wheeled vehicles to get around campus. Bicycles, mopeds and scooters are some of students' favorite modes of transportation as they are efficient, easy to park and easy to store. However, they offer little protection for the rider in the event of a crash, so both the rider and other motorists need to exercise increased caution at this time of year.

Motorists should be especially careful when driving near the University of Utah, Westminster College and Salt Lake Community College. Please remain vigilant in looking for these students before pulling out into traffic, before making turns and when navigating through parking lots. Mopeds, scooters and bicycles are often the victim of motorists who don't see them, as a horrifying recent example demonstrated.

University of Iowa football lineman Josh Koeppel recently experienced a scary collision in an intersection. The collision, caught on camera, shows a vehicle make a left hand turn in front of Koeppel's moped. The collision sent the huge man flying head-over-heels before he struck the pavement. Incredibly, the student experienced no severe injuries but they were significant enough that he missed playing in a game.

Koeppel's brush with disaster evidences a serious problem that has been devastating people's lives for a long time. Many motorists simply don't keep an eye out for two-wheeled vehicles.

Unfortunately, the problem may get worse before it gets better. The popularity of scooters, mopeds and motorcycles has skyrocketed as a result of both rising gas prices and increased concerns about pollution. The increased presence of lower-visibility vehicles will likely increase 2008's totals of 1,301 injured motorcyclists, as reported by the Utah Department of Public Safety. In that same year, 708 Utahan bicyclists suffered injuries.

Fortunately, there are some things that all cyclists can do to make themselves more visible to other vehicles. Bicyclists and scooter riders should wear bright, reflective colors on their body and on their helmets. Bicycles should be fitted with a front headlamp and a red light on the rear. Mopeds and scooters should always have their lights on, day or night. All types of cyclists should drive defensively and assume that other motorists don't see them.

Even the most careful people on two-wheelers may be the victim of a motorist. If you are injured by a driver's wrongdoing, it is crucial to promptly contact an experienced personal injury attorney. If possible, preserve all of the evidence and take pictures or video; a knowledgeable lawyer can assist you with this process.

Article provided by Eisenberg & Gilchrist, LLC
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