In case Garden State motorcycle riders needed another reason to be careful out there on the road this summer, here is a little extra incentive: data from the Governor’s Highway Traffic Safety Association revealed a 12.5 percent increase in motorcycle fatalities in 2014, with 54 fatal accidents occurring between the months of January and September. In 2013, there were just 48 motorcycle deaths in New Jersey. Experts who were expecting an increase in motorcycle accident fatalities are likely disheartened that New Jersey accident trends didn’t follow the rest of the country, since the majority of other states experienced a decline in fatal motorcycle accidents. The latest increase in NJ represents the state’s biggest since 2011.

As unfortunate as these numbers are, they should not come as a surprise to New Jersey motorcycle riders. Anybody who travels through the state on two wheels knows how dangerous it can be. In fact, there seems to be a perpetual struggle between motorcyclists and other drivers to share the road. Motorcyclists also know that the impact of a crash on a rider is generally much greater than it is for a driver who is insulated by their car. Very often, it comes down to a rider having to be a “bigger person” than their motorist counterpart and exercise an abundance of caution. This includes maintaining safe following distances, avoiding excessive speeding and observing the other rules of the road.

The straight reality is that you can’t control the aggression or the lack of common sense that sometimes plague other drivers. You can, however, make sure that you’re protected in case of injury and that you have plenty of insurance to cover you in case of an accident. In addition to the dozens of riders who die each year in New Jersey, many more are seriously injured and are never quite the same after they sustain the damage. Don’t become a casualty of another driver’s thoughtlessness.

Andrew Prince’s experience defending the rights of motorcyclists in court is unparalleled. If you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, call us today for a free consultation. We will work hard to quickly get you the justice and compensation you deserve.