Road Hazards and Motorcycle Accidents

Road hazards can be particularly dangerous for motorcycle riders. In fact, even the smallest apparent road hazards can result in serious motorcycle accidents due to the relatively light weight of motorcycles (as compared to cars and trucks) and the lack of shielding protecting the rider. While some road hazards occur naturally and may not be attributable to another party’s negligence (such as leaves or animals in the road, icy road conditions due to weather, etc.), in other cases, the city or county government (or, in rarer cases, the private party) responsible for the upkeep of roadways can be held liable for motorcycle accident injuries if it fails to act responsibly in removing potential road hazards and ultimately keeping roadways safe.

Types of Road Hazards

Some of the most common types of road hazards that could be attributed to the negligence or recklessness of another party include:

• Defective traffic signals and/or lack of proper traffic safety signage
• Dead animals left in the road
• Debris from car accidents or other traffic accidents left in the roadways (or other large debris that has fallen off of trucks left in the roadways)
• Disabled or parked vehicles left in the road (or left on blind corners of the road)
• Potholes, missing manhole covers, excessive gravel on the pavement and/or edge breaks (when two lanes are not level with each other)
• Poor lighting of roadways at night
• Lack of or inappropriately placed construction barriers
• Roadway construction equipment or machinery that is not properly stored when not in use

When a motorcycle accident occurs due to a road hazard and the party responsible for the upkeep of a roadway has failed to maintain the roadway’s safety by clearing it of potentially dangerous roadway hazards, motorcycle accident victims will likely be entitled to compensation for their injuries, medical bills, ongoing treatment costs, lost wages, potentially permanent disabilities and mental anguish.

At the law firm of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C., our experienced Mount Vernon motorcycle accident lawyers have been providing client-centered representation to our Southern Illinois clients since 1950. Our trusted attorneys focus on our clients’ needs, and we do everything we can to help them get the maximum possible compensation for their injuries so they can focus on recovery and moving on with their life. If you or a loved one has sustained any type of injury due to a motorcycle accident, contact us by calling (800)-553-3125 for a free, thorough assessment of your case, along with professional advice regarding the best manner in which to move forward.