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With the awakening of spring, we notice an increasing number of motorcyclists on the roads. For many, riding a motorcycle is not just a transport from point A to point B, but much more. It is a lifestyle, a feeling of freedom, peace, excitement, and adrenaline that permeates the body at the same time. Many people love motorcycles for practical reasons – they can park in a much smaller space than a car, and will avoid large traffic jams.

Unfortunately, there are black statistics that say that globally there are a total of 1.25 million deaths in traffic, which traffic makes it one of the leading causes of death. Almost half of these deaths concerned the most vulnerable groups with a lack of protection – motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians. Motor vehicle drivers are often urged to pay more attention to traffic during the summer, as well as to look more often in the right rear-view mirror for motorcyclists.

Unfortunately, sometimes, despite the attention, it is possible to be a participant in a car accident. Our most sincere wish is that you will never find yourself in this situation, but if it happens, here is what you need to do.

1. Stop

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If it is a minor accident and the engine is still moving, carefully disconnect from traffic. Regardless of whether you are guilty or not, call the police. Running away from the scene of an accident is considered a criminal offense.

2. Signal the accident

Even if it is the day, you are obliged to mark the place of the accident, ie to turn on both turn signals and to place a triangle at the prescribed distance not far from the place of the accident.

3. Check participants in the accident

If another vehicle or sand was involved in the accident, come over and check that everything is OK. In case you notice physical injuries, do not move the injured person yourself but call an ambulance.

4. Take the photo

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We assume you have insurance. Record by mobile phone, in addition to the damage to vehicles and their model, color and number plates, date and time of the accident, weather conditions, and road quality, as these are all factors that affect the determination of the cause of the accident. This will help the insurance company assess the damage.

As in any other business, expect the insurance company to offer you a payment lower than what you consider realistic. Luckily, you have everything documented, so you can move on to the next step.

5. Contact a lawyer

Hiring a lawyer or public adjuster is the best thing you can do right now. They will help you in a realistic assessment of the damage. Also, in addition to payment for material damage, there is compensation for the mental pain suffered. Why not exercise your right to it? Find out more at hamiltonlawyers.com.

6. Be patient

It may seem that the process itself takes too long, but it is important to be patient. You are required to honestly tell the lawyer or public adjuster all the details that led to the accident, whether you are at fault or not.

How to prevent a car accident?

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It is impossible to completely prevent a car accident, but there are many things we can do to avoid directly causing it.

1. Respect the speed limit

When sitting behind the wheel do not lose sight of the fact that your vehicle is a powerful machine, be very careful and respect the restrictions. If you are driving too fast you cannot fully control the car, it is much harder to stop a vehicle moving at high speed in a split second, and there are situations where just a moment is enough for an accident to happen. No matter how hard you try to get somewhere, don’t drive too fast. It is always better to be late than not to get where you planned at all.

2. Focus on driving

Never drive if you are tired or distracted. Human negligence is the cause of the largest number of traffic accidents. While driving, you should focus on three things: traffic regulations, the road, and other drivers. If you feel eye strain, get out of traffic, take a short break.

3. Avoid alcohol

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Even the best drivers have slower reflexes under the influence of alcohol, although they often do not notice it. In addition to endangering the lives of yourself and others, if you have a car accident and it is determined that you have been under the influence of alcohol, you can forget to collect insurance damage.

4. Regular vehicle servicing

The vehicle must be regularly maintained. If you are going on a further journey, do not forget this at all. This will extend the life of your car or motorcycle and make you feel safer driving.

5. Avoid driving at night

Riding a motorcycle is dangerous in itself, especially when the weather is bad and during the night. If you don’t have to, don’t hit the road until the weather improves. At night, your field of vision is narrowed and you can see the headlights of oncoming vehicles, which can lead to you losing control of the steering wheel.

Final thoughts

Motorcycles represent the most vulnerable category of road users, bearing in mind that they collectively make up about 45% of the total number of all fatalities in traffic accidents. drivers and passengers on mopeds and motorcycles are 20 times higher than the probability of death of drivers and passengers in a passenger car, and the probability of getting serious bodily injuries is as much as 40 times higher. Observing the number of traffic accidents by individual seasons, it is important to note that most accidents occurred in summer and least in winter. Landing of a motorcycle from the road and collision of a motorcycle with four-wheeled vehicles two are the leading mechanism of traffic accidents.