Alabama Injury Lawyer Blog
Anyone who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle assumes a duty to those with whom they share the road. This duty requires that the motorist exercise reasonable care when operating their vehicle, in addition to obeying all traffic laws and posted signs.
No matter which type of vehicle a motorist chooses, there is always the risk that another driver will negligently cause an accident. However, riding a motorcycle presents unique risks that other vehicles do not. Indeed, each year, there are about 1,200 Alabama motorcycle accidents, resulting in roughly 75 fatalities.
The fact that a motorcyclist is more likely to be seriously injured or killed if they are involved in an accident does not limit the liability of the person responsible for causing the accident. Thus, a motorist cannot rely on the fact that the person they hit chose to ride a motorcycle – rather than a car or a truck – as a defense. Of course, a defendant in a personal injury case is still free to claim that the plaintiff was partially at fault for causing the accident.