Almost all training related to motorcycle collisions focuses on avoiding them. After all, a crash between a motorcycle and a larger vehicle can have dire consequences for the rider. They don’t have a vehicle to protect them from the force of impact.
Thankfully, proper training and motorcycle maintenance can go a long way in efforts to minimize collision risk. Still, riders can only control their own actions, not the conduct of others in traffic. Motorcycles end up involved in collisions caused by distracted, drunk and fatigued drivers. People may simply fail to notice them in traffic and might cause severe crashes as a result.
What should a motorcycle rider do after a crash occurs?
Document everything as soon as possible
Ideally, a motorcycle rider has a phone with them that they can use to take photographs of the scene of the crash. The details that they capture right after a collision can help answer questions about who was at fault and what exactly occurred before and during the crash. Videos and pictures can assist with crash recreation. They may make it easier for people to get compensation by filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit.
Provide the police with detailed information
Those involved in collisions often dislike pointing the finger at others. Even when another driver is clearly to blame, people often prefer for law enforcement professionals to reach their own conclusions rather than placing blame immediately. For motorcycle riders, the risk of unconscious bias makes self-advocacy critical.
People tend to think of motorcycle riders as more prone to dangerous conduct, which means that police officers might be more likely to blame the rider rather than the driver. By clearly communicating exactly what happened and why the rider believes the driver caused the crash, they can help push the investigation in the right direction.
Secure medical evaluation
Some people get up after a crash, check themselves, and assume that their gear did its job. They believe they have no major injuries, but that is not always true. Internal injuries can be hard to identify at first. They could continue worsening to a point where they actually threaten someone’s life without diagnosis and treatment. Brain injuries and internal bleeding require medical care as soon as possible after a crash.
Replace safety gear
As a final note, someone who intends to get back on their motorcycle after a crash generally needs to replace any gear that they wore, as the collision may have compromised its ability to protect them in the event of another collision.
The pursuit of compensation is often a key element of moving on after a motorcycle crash in Connecticut. Both lawsuits and insurance claims can help pay people’s expenses after motorcycle collisions caused by others. Holding a driver who caused a motorcycle crash accountable can help a rider defray the expenses generated by a wreck.