Syracuse Personal Injury Attorney Encourages New York Drivers to Pay Attention to Motorcycles

Syracuse, NY (Vocus/PRWEB) April 18, 2011

The “Blessing of the Bikes” held last weekend at an Onondaga County church unofficially kicked off the central New York motorcycle season and hopefully raised the safety awareness of drivers throughout the region, Syracuse accident and injury attorneyScott C. Gottlieb said.

“One of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents, injuries and deaths is that other drivers forget that they share the road with motorcyclists, so they are not looking out for them like they would a car or truck,” said Gottlieb, whose Syracuse personal injury law firm, Scott C. Gottlieb & Associates, represents motor vehicle accident victims and their families throughout central New York.

“However, an event like the ‘Blessing of the Bikes’ should remind motorists that they need to respect motorcycles like they would any other vehicle,” he said. “It raises awareness that we all play a role in preventing fatal or catastrophic motorcycle crashes.”

According to the Syracuse Post-Standard, this marked the 27th consecutive “Blessing of the Bikes,” which took place at St. Daniel’s Church in Lyncourt. The Onondago County chapter of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) helped to organize the event, which drew a heavy turnout of motorcyclists from across the area.

The bikers’ good fortunes in the months ahead, Gottlieb said, will depend on whether motorists follow safe practices when driving around motorcycles, such as:

   •      Keeping a proper lookout, especially checking blind spots and looking for motorcycles at intersections before making a turn; and

   •      Leaving adequate room (too often, cars and trucks try to share a lane with motorcycles or follow too closely); and

   •      Anticipating the motorcyclist’s actions (for instance, a motorcycle will usually swerve around a pothole or other obstructions).

The most recent statistics from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles show that 5,150 motorcycle accidents occurred in the state in 2009, killing 155 people and injuring 5,042 others. In Onondago County alone, there were eight motorcycle riders killed and 125 who suffered serious personal injuries, according to the NYSDMV data.

“Because motorcycles are significantly outweighed by cars and trucks, and because motorcyclists lack protection, they tend to suffer severe injuries in a crash, especially brain and head injuries,” Gottlieb said. “That’s why we also strongly encourage all motorcycle riders to do what they can to protect themselves and wear their helmets at all times.”

When a motorcyclist is injured by the carelessness of another car or truck on the road, Gottlieb said it is important to contact an experienced New York motorcycle accident attorney who can take steps to protect their legal rights.

“Drivers of other vehicles owe a duty to pay attention to motorcycles, and when they fail to live up to that duty, they – and their insurance companies – need to compensate the victims of their carelessness,” Gottlieb said.

About Scott C. Gottlieb & Associates

Scott C. Gottlieb & Associates is a Syracuse accident and injury law firm that handles all types of personal injury and motor vehicle accident cases, including cases involving drunk-driving accidents, wrongful death, cancer misdiagnosis, dog bites, hunting accidents, birth injuries, brain injuries, construction accidents, fall down injuries and insurance settlements. The firm regularly employs accident reconstruction experts, investigators, photographers and economists to assist us in evaluating and preparing personal injury cases. The firm features offices in Binghamton, Elmira, Rochester, Syracuse and Watertown. For more information, call (800) TALK-LAW or use the firm’s online contact form.

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