Motorcycle Accidents with Drunk Driving Motorists

It is common knowledge that motorcycle accidents cause significant injuries and death because motorcycles don’t provide any protection for the rider. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), the number of deaths on motorcycles per mile traveled was 26 times the number of deaths in cars in 2013, the most recent data available.

Drinking and driving carries significant penalties and fines in South Carolina. There were 355 drunk driving fatalities in South Carolina in 2014, which represented 43.7 percent of all traffic deaths. The NHTSA reports that South Carolina is the worst in the nation with regard to the percentage of drunk driving deaths.

Safety tips for avoiding a crash with a drunk driver

Motorcycle riders can do their part to be especially vigilant about watching out for motor vehicles whose drivers may be impaired. Here are some tips for avoiding an accident with a drunk driver:

• Watch for other vehicles swerving in and out of their lane
• Look out for cars making wide, wobbly turns
• Watch for vehicles that slowly drift into another lane
• Watch out for vehicles that are driving too fast
• Watch out for vehicles that are driving too slowly
• Look out for cars that are driving the wrong way (against traffic)

Drunk drivers put themselves and everyone else on the road in significant danger. The victim of the accident is left with physical pain and suffering, emotional trauma and financial difficulties after the crash – or in the case of motorcycle riders, a likely fatality due to the lack of protection for the rider from the impact of a car or truck crash.

In addition to facing criminal charges for the DUI, victims of drunk driving crashes can hold the responsible party civilly liable for the crash. The injured can bring a lawsuit and pursue damages to compensation for their medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and other financial losses.

Motorcycle riders who have been victims of drunk driving crashes may also be able to seek punitive damages depending on several factors including the severity of the injuries suffered in the accident, the defendant’s level of impairment (their blood alcohol concentration), whether the defendant had any previous DUI convictions.

If you are a motorcycle rider who has been injured by a drunk driving motorist in South Carolina, contact the experienced auto accident attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC today to schedule a consultation.