New Jersey Scooter Accident Lawyer

A scooter, or motor scooter, is a motorcycle that has a frame through which you can step, and a platform for the feet of the rider. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) offers a scooter safety class that provides techniques that riders can use in order to remain safe while on a scooter.

Common causes of scooter accidents
According to the MSF, most accidents involving scooters are caused by four major problems.
They are:

• Crash at an intersection
• Rider inexperience
• Speeding
• Alcohol consumption

The MSF advises scooter riders to implement safety measures, including:

• Being observant at intersections
• Increasing rider visibility
• Riding within limits
• Reducing speed when necessary
• Not drinking and riding

Be observant at intersections
The majority of crashes between scooters and automobiles occur at intersections. Being observant at intersections and increasing rider visibility to other motorists reduces the possibility of becoming involved in an accident.

An effective rule of thumb is to ride defensively at all times. Riding in this manner can help prevent riders from falling victim to accidents. On the MSF website, you can read “Scooter Safety at Intersection” for a detailed overview of how to avoid collisions at cross-roads.

Increase rider visibility
There are several ways in which a rider can increase their visibility to other motorists, and therefore, reduce their chances of crashing into another vehicle.

Carefully select lane position
Riders should select the lane in which they are most visible, and ride in that optimum position. The perfect location will differ on the basis of riding conditions.

Wear brightly-colored clothes and reflection
Wearing a brightly-colored helmet or jacket enables riders to be conspicuous in the daytime. For instance, red, yellow and white provide more visibility than navy and black. Furthermore, wearing a helmet and jacket adorned with reflective tape, stripes, decals and piping can help riders become more noticeable to other motorists.

Add to your brightness
Make certain that scooter headlights, brake lights and turn signals are functioning properly, prior to riding each day. In the event scooter headlights or brake lights are not sufficiently bright, riders can substitute halogens and/or LED lighting for them. Improved lighting increases a rider’s ability to see and be noticed while riding a scooter.

Ride within your limits
Inexperienced riders can lower their risk of having an accident by knowing their limits and riding within them. This translates into riding at a speed at which a rider has complete control over the scooter, and stays away from routes that require more advanced riding skills.

Reduce your speed when necessary
When riding at high speeds, riders have less reaction time. Additionally, other motorists have less time to react to other speeding vehicles. Adhere to the speed limit, and ride even more slowly when the need arises.

Do not drink and ride
A large number of scooter accidents are caused by intoxicated riders. Just one drink can cause impairment of a rider’s reaction time.

However, despite all of the precautions riders may take to prevent scooter accidents and the resulting injuries, they may still find themselves the victims of a crash, and in need of a personal injury lawyer to help recover damages.

Scooter accident injuries
Here are some of the injuries that often occur as a result of scooter accidents:

• Broken bones
• Fractures
• Back injuries
• Spine injuries (such as herniated discs)
• Head trauma/traumatic brain injuries
• Paralysis
• Loss of limbs
• Scarification

How a scooter accident attorney can help
There are many ways in which a scooter accident attorney can help if you have been involved in a scooter accident. An experienced attorney can assist in recovering the following types of compensation for your loss:

• Lost wages
• Loss of potential future wages
• Medical bills
• Potential future medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage

If you were injured in a scooter accident, call the scooter accident attorneys at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm at (973) 920-7900.