Daytona Bike Week has arrived.

Traditionally the start of the long spring riding season in Florida, motorists need to be extra vigilant in watching for riders in the coming weeks.

Our Motorcycle injury attorneys know riding season is year-around in the Sunshine State. There is never a time motorists should not look twice for riders, yield the right of way, and allow them to pass. However, summer rains and heat, and winter wind make the spring and fall the best times of the year for motorcycle riders to hit the roads.

Avoiding Motorcycle Accidents

Daytona Bike Week runs through two weekends this year, from Friday March 4 to Sunday March 13. Tens of thousands of riders are expected to descend on Daytona Beach from across the state and throughout the nation. This is the 81st year for what has become one of the largest motorcycle gatherings in the world.

Our veteran motorcycle injury lawyers expect substantially more motorcycles to hit the roads over the comings weeks. Just because bike week is on the other coast, does not mean local motorists need worry less about causing a senseless and preventable tragedy.

Even as slow speed crash with a motorcycle is likely to cause serious permanent or fatal injuries to riders, for which you will most likely be held responsible.

Common scenarios for motorcycle accidents in Southwest Florida:

Left turns: A driver who turns left in front of an oncoming rider is the number one cause of crashes involving motorcycles and motor vehicles. Motorcycles are small, making distance and speed hard to judge. They also take longer to stop. Yield the right of way to oncoming riders and allow them to pass before proceeding into their path.

Roadway departure: In many cases, a rider is forced to leave the road to prevent a crash. This can result in serious injuries to riders for which the driver is still responsible.

Hit-and-run: When a driver does not stop, motorcyclists can be left with a difficult path to recovery. That is why our motorcycle injury attorneys urge all riders to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which provides coverage to a rider through his own insurance company in cases where a driver does not stop, or does not have insurance, or does not have enough insurance to fully compensate riders for damages.

Failure to yield: Whether exiting a side road, parking lot, or private drive, motorists who travel into he path of an oncoming rider typically cause serious or fatal injuries to innocent riders. Look twice. Wait a moment when your view is obstructed  make sure a rider is not in your blind spot.

We have been representing riders and their families for half a century in Southwest Florida. Known as advocates for rider rights, we also sponsor many charity runs, bike events, and other safety initiatives aimed at improving road safety for motorcycle riders in our communities. These are devastating and preventable tragedies. Please do your part to make sure our riding friends make it home to their families.

If you or a loved one is injured, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, at 1-800-646-1210.