Even as more and more motorcyclists are taking to the roads in Ocala, the image of the motorcycle rider being somewhat of a rebel still remains. This certainly can’t help you if you’re trying to prove you didn’t cause an Ocala motorcycle accident. When motorcycles and vehicles collide, it’s not uncommon for the motorists involved (as well as people who may not have seen the accident) to immediately place the blame on the motorcyclists. Statistics, however, seem to show that the fault for motorcycle-vehicle collisions tends to lie with drivers.
According to observations made by researchers at University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research, truck and car drivers are usually the ones to blame for accidents involving motorcycles. The specific information that they studied showed that of a sample of 10 years’ worth of information from motorcycle accidents, motorists caused the accidents in 60 percent of cases.
How is that car drivers are more likely to be to blame for these accidents? The answer could lie in something as simple as perception. Further data from USF researchers highlighted driver responses from surveys given by the Florida Department of Transportation. The results showed that drivers who carry motorcycle permissions with their licenses claim to frequently see motorcycles on the road, while those who don’t report rarely seeing them.
So how does this help you in proving you didn’t cause an Ocala motorcycle accident? This research supports points already in place that may point to a car drivers being to blame. These can include:
- Decreased attentiveness compared to motorcyclists.
- Limited fields of view from inside a car.
- Low visibility of a motorcycle rider.
While none of the above information should be taken as legal advice, it may help in getting you off the hook as you try to prove you didn’t cause an Ocala motorcycle accident.
