Motorcycle bias is a real thing, even if you may not immediately realize it. Maryland motorcycle accident attorneys know there’s a high motorcycle accident rate in America. In 2019 alone, 5,014 motorcyclists died from motorcycle collisions. This figure made up 14% of the total US accident fatalities for 2019. Furthermore, there were 75 motorcycle fatalities in Maryland for the same year. These high rates of motorcycle crashes have led to increased bias against motorcyclists.

Unfortunately, motorcycle bias can affect a motorcyclist’s chances of getting compensation. Even if the motorcyclist wasn’t responsible for the collision, this would be the case. Therefore, suppose you get into a motorcycle crash. Then, it’ll be best to hire a Maryland motorcycle accident attorney. A skilled lawyer can fight bias to get you the money you deserve.

What Is Motorcycle Bias?

Firstly, motorcycle bias is an unofficial term for specific thoughts and actions against motorcyclists. It happens when insurance companies, the police, and jurors assume that motorcyclists are responsible for crashes they’re involved in. Some of these people only allocate partial blame to the cyclists, though. For example, people often assume that motorcyclists were speeding or driving recklessly before a crash.

Unfortunately, these stereotypes are false. Many people don’t even have any basis for these harmful beliefs. They’re just holding onto something they heard or the actions of a few motorcyclists. Sadly, motorcycle bias makes it difficult for injured motorcyclists to get the medical bills for their injuries. This is especially problematic since motorcyclists are susceptible to significant wounds during a crash.

Types of Motorcycle Bias

Motorcycle bias manifests in various forms. Below are some of the misconceptions people harbor towards motorcycles and motorcyclists.

Motorcycles Are Inherently Dangerous

Many people believe that motorcycles are inherently dangerous. So, if there’s an accident, the motorcyclist is most likely responsible because their vehicle poses a danger to other road users. This is a misconception, though.

The danger of a motorcycle is that the rider can easily fall off the bike in an accident. Motorcycles don’t have protective frames like cars, hence this danger. However, this danger doesn’t cause accidents. It only worsens the motorcyclist’s injuries, in some cases.

Motorcycle Riders Drive Too Fast

Indeed, many road users have encountered speeding motorcyclists. However, these don’t account for most motorcyclists on Maryland roads. Many motorcycles are also optimized for higher speeds. Therefore, seeing these superfast bikes makes people feel that all motorcyclists speed. Whatever the case, motorcyclists suffer accidents while driving fast or slow. So, this belief is a myth.

Motorcyclists Are Reckless

Like over speeding motorcycle riders, there are also reckless motorcyclists. Many of them are younger, inexperienced riders. So, they throw caution to the wind and make reckless driving decisions. However, this doesn’t mean that most motorcyclists are reckless. There are still many responsible motorcycle riders. In addition, many of them undergo motorcycle training to drive safer and better.

It’s Difficult to See Motorcycles

Some Maryland residents also believe that car drivers find it hard to see motorcycles. Therefore, they feel that any consequential accident wasn’t the driver’s fault. Like, “if they couldn’t see the bike, how could they avoid them?” However, this is another false theory. Motorcycles aren’t invisible. Drivers can see them in their rear or side-view mirrors, just like other vehicles.

In addition, motorcycles make loud noises. So, even if the driver can’t see them, the noise announces the presence and direction of the motorcycle. This loud noise is thus a safety mechanism for the riders. Therefore, in an accident, the other driver may have been negligent.

Overcoming Motorcycle Bias

Overcoming motorcycle bias can be challenging. Once people believe you’re at fault, it’ll be hard to convince them otherwise. That’s why a motorcycle accident lawyer is crucial. An experienced attorney will rely on facts and evidence to persuade courts and insurance companies that you aren’t responsible for the accident.

This means that you’ll need credible sources of evidence to prove your innocence. These would include:

• Eyewitness testimony
• Video or photographic evidence of the collision
• The fault party’s reckless driving history
• Medical evidence
• Evidence from accident reconstruction

With these pieces of evidence, you can overcome motorcycle bias. After that, you can recover the maximum compensation.

Let’s Protect Your Motorcycle Accident Claim From Bias!

Have you been in a Maryland motorcycle accident? If you have, then you may be eligible for compensation. However, motorcycle bias may affect your chances of success. That’s why you need the best Maryland motorcycle accident lawyers. At Pinder Plotkin, LLC, we have won several motorcycle accident claims.

Furthermore, we had to overcome motorcycle bias to win these many claims. This means that we can protect your accident claim from the effects of bias. So, call us today for a FREE consultation on your motorcycle accident case.