Sumter County Motorcycle Injury

No Fee or Cost Unless We Win

Bushnell & Wildwood, FL Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Whittel & Melton, LLC
Don’t Face the Judge Alone!
352-793-9330
123 North Florida Street
Bushnell, Florida

“Bikers are so often the very tragic victims of the most basic of careless mistakes by other drivers on the road. Unfortunately, Motorcycles don’t have doors, roofs, seat belts, etc. Every tiny mistake by other motorists on the road can result in a major injury or sometimes death to Florida’s Motorcycling public”

– Jason M. Melton, Esquire – Sumter County, Florida Motorcycle Injury Lawyer

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted a study in 2007 of a 10-year study of motorcycle injuries to passengers and drivers that found 103,000 motorcycle passengers and drivers suffered injuries in accidents, a 94 percent increase from 1997. Deaths from motorcycle accidents were found to have risen by 144 percent. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, almost all passengers suffering fatalities in motorcycle collisions in 2008 were women, totaling 89 percent of the entire passenger population killed.

A rider’s bike control is affected when a second passenger is on a motorcycle. Mastering solo riding skills is optimal before pursuing a passenger addition. Experts even suggest riding one full season before taking on a passenger rider. The added weight of a second person on your bike can change the center of gravity for your bike, and when the passenger moves around on the bike seat, your motorcycle can be unpredictable to handle. It is best to check with your owner’s manual so that you can adjust your suspension and tire pressures to balance the amount of company you are carrying. Along with balance, added weight on your bike can shift your braking capabilities, so make sure you take into account that the additional weight could take your motorcycle longer to stop.

Motorcycling is a very sociable activity and you will most likely want to participate in group riding and hauling passengers when you head off on a journey. If you are going to have company on your bike in Bushnell or any other area in Sumter County, follow these safety guidelines so that you and your companion arrive safe and sound to your destination:

1. Follow state laws and requirements. All motorcycles must have passenger footrests, the passengers must be able to reach the footrests and the motorcycle must have a separate area on the seat for the passenger to remain.
2. Instruct your passenger to mount from the same side. Have your passenger warn you before they climb aboard so that you are stable and ready for them. This is to avoid any one from toppling over and having a bike land on them.
3. Protect your passengers. Just like you have clothing that is necessary for riding a motorcycle, your passengers need the same. Helmets and proper clothing are a must so that no shoe laces or loose pants get stuck on a rear wheel or chain parts.
4. Never carry a passenger sidesaddle. Passengers always need to straddle the bike and place their feet securely in the footrests. Advise passengers not to put their feet on the ground when you come to a stop.
5. Caution passengers to hot spots on the bike. Header pipes and mufflers can reach extreme temperatures that can seriously injure a passenger. Warn your passengers where the hot parts of the bike are.
6. Give your passenger proper riding tips. Instruct them to hold on to your waist, hips or the bike’s hand-holds. Tell them to lean forward when you take off from a spot or accelerate on roadways.
7. Tell your passengers to lean when you do. If a passenger leans when it is not necessary, weird things can happen to the steering of your motorcycle. When you lean passengers should lean as well and look over your shoulder so that the weight of the bike is distributed where it needs to be.

If you or your passenger fall victim to injuries when traveling through Florida’s highways, call 911 immediately and then call Whittel & Melton at 352-793-9330 immediately.

We are available nights and weekends to take your claims and provide you with personalized attention. Call us today at 352-793-9330.

Sumter County, FL Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Whittel & Melton, LLC
Don’t Face the Judge Alone!
352-793-9330
123 North Florida Street
Bushnell, Florida