Manassas Virginia Motor Vehicle Accidents Law Blog

While riding a motorcycle can be a thrilling experience, keeping safety in account is crucial for new riders. This is because road hazards are far more dangerous for motorcyclists due to lack of protection and in many cases passenger vehicles fail to recognize the presence of motorcycles on the road (which can lead to catastrophe). NapaOnline.com recommends the following tips in this case, which will prepare you for the road ahead.

Always Wear a Helmet

The speed limit is 70, there are only two lanes on the Virginia interstate, and the majority of vehicles on the road have 18 wheels. Driving alongside semi-trucks can be nerve-wracking, especially when the weather makes things hard to see. Esurance outlines the two keys to navigating around these large trucks safely: awareness and patience. 

Drivers in normal-sized cars have a responsibility to stay visible to truck drivers at all times in order to avoid negligence. Truckers have a massive blind spot. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, commercial drivers cannot see certain areas on all four sides of their truck. That includes 20 feet of the pavement in front of them, 30 feet behind them and about 20 feet on their sides as well. A good rule of thumb is this: If a car driver cannot see the truck driver, then the truck driver probably cannot see the car.

Many in Manassas may envy the freedom that motorcycles offer, yet few likely would want to be faced with the lack of personal protection bikers have in accidents. There is virtually nothing protecting a rider from the road should he or she be struck by (or collide with) another vehicle. That may be why many fail to understand why any motorcyclist would disagree with laws that would require him or her to wear a protective helmet. Per Virginia's Department of Motor Vehicles, such equipment is 29 percent effective at preventing death and 67 percent effective in preventing brain injuries in motorcycle accidents. 

Virginia law does indeed require motorcyclists to wear helmets. Section 46.2-910 of the state's Motor Vehicle Code states that both riders and passengers must wear helmets at all times while riding on a bike. The only exceptions to this rule are when they are traveling less than 15 mph or when they are participating in a motorcycle parade organized by local municipalities or the state's Department of Transportation.

Despite having been available in areas like Manassas since 2010, many local residents are still unfamiliar with the concept of ride-sharing. Those just becoming acquainted with companies like Uber will likely first want to know how safe they are before committing to using them. Unfortunately, ride-sharing accident statistics are still difficult to find. This is due to the both the practice being fairly new, as well as the fact that no official method exists for documenting ride-sharing accidents. Per information shared by The Chicago Tribune, law enforcement authorities may not even think to document whether a vehicle involved in a collision was driven by an Uber driver since such drivers use their own personal cars. 

Many may be willing to overlook the lack of safety data to use ride-sharing services provided that they know insurance coverage is available should they be in an accident. Uber maintains coverage for their drivers in certain scenarios, such as when they have the app on, or when they are driving to a location to pick up a fare. That coverage also extends to when they are transporting passengers. According to Uber's website, the company offers $1 million in third party liability insurance that will help cover a passenger's medical expenses when he or she is involved in an accident in which the Uber driver is at fault. If the driver that struck an Uber vehicle is at fault yet does not have auto insurance, Uber also offers $1 million in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to assist passengers.