Thousands of people are injured and killed in motorcycle accidents in the United States each year. Sadly, a motorcycle crash can change your life and the lives of your family members forever. While you cannot control road conditions, weather conditions, or the behavior of other drivers, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of a crash when riding a motorcycle in New Orleans and increase your chance of recovering full compensation if you are injured in a crash.
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Never Ride a Motorcycle in New Orleans After Drinking
As in all other cities and states, the legal limit for DUI is .08 in New Orleans. In addition to being against the law, it is dangerous to ride your motorcycle while impaired by alcohol. Even if you do not cause a DUI accident, your reaction time and reasoning may be impaired, causing you to be unable to act quickly to avoid a collision.
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Purchase Additional Insurance to Cover Motorcycle Crashes
Many drivers carry minimum insurance coverage, which is extremely low when you consider the average costs associated with motorcycle accidents. In addition to the minimum insurance required for motorcycles, you should consider purchasing additional insurance coverage to help pay for expenses and losses if the at-fault driver does not have sufficient insurance coverage.
You may want to purchase PIP (personal injury protection) coverage, MedPay, and additional UM/UIM (uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage) to help protect yourself as you are riding a motorcycle in New Orleans.
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Always Wear Protective Gear
Motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of traumatic brain injuries and death. Louisiana law requires all riders to wear motorcycle helmets. The two exceptions to the motorcycle helmet law are when you are riding in a parade, or your motorcycle has supports that provide the same level of safety that a motorcycle helmet would provide.
In addition to motorcycle helmets, you should also wear other protective gear when riding a motorcycle in New Orleans to help reduce the risk of injury in a motorcycle crash. Protective gear includes gloves, boots, motorcycle jackets, vests, and other protective clothing.
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Always Be Very Cautious at Intersections
When riding a motorcycle in New Orleans, pay close attention to traffic and pedestrians at intersections. Distracted drivers and pedestrians will cut motorcycles off without notices. When you approach an intersection, slow down and pay attention to traffic and signals. Allow additional room between your motorcycle and other vehicles to increase the distance for avoidance measures. Make sure that you do not drive through an intersection in the blind spot of another vehicle or hidden behind a vehicle.
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Contact a NOLA Accident Attorney After a Motorcycle Accident
If you are injured while riding your motorcycle in New Orleans, contact our NOLA accident attorney for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights. After a motorcycle crash, it is important to seek medical attention for your injuries. It is also important to seek the advice of an experienced New Orleans motorcycle accident attorney. An attorney can help you file a claim seeking full compensation for all damages.
Contact Attorney Fred Olinde of The Olinde Firm by calling (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889 to speak with a motorcycle accident attorney in New Orleans.