The Bradley Law Firm Blog

Motorcycle accidents are more often fatal than car accidents. Motorcycles do not provide the same amount of protection in a collision as do normal cars, which keep the driver and passengers safer within a glass and metal cage. For this reason, motorcycle riders need to be more cautious when getting out on the roads. Motorcycle accidents happen for many reasons, but these four are most common.

Over-correcting

Inexperienced riders will sometimes over-correct or inappropriately steer their bike. This can send the bike out of control or toppling over.

Following Too Closely

Despite its lower weight and smaller size, a motorcycle actually needs more stopping distance than a normal vehicle. Motorcycle riders need to make sure they leave enough distance between them and other vehicles to allow themselves enough space to stop safely.

Not Being Seen

The small size of motorcycles can sometimes make them hard for other drivers to see. A motorcycle rider must ride defensively and make sure he or she is visible to other drivers at all times.

Drunk Driving

Drunk driving is dangerous in any vehicle, especially a motorcycle. Due to the balance and coordination that operating a motorcycle requires, even one or two drinks can severely affect your ability to ride.

If you have been hurt in a motorcycle accident in St. Louis or Jefferson City, please contact the Bradley Law Firm today to speak with an experienced Missouri accident lawyer.

Car accident injuries can be devastating, leaving victims with medical bills, unable to work, and without personal transportation. Things can be made worse when the police are having hard time figuring out which driver was at fault for causing the accident.

The police can help determine who is at fault by reconstructing the auto accident. They will go over the events before, during, and after the car accident, which allow them to see where the error was made that caused the collision.

Police use a few different methods to reconstruct car accidents. One thing they can do after a car accident that involves newer cars is to examine the data stored in the event data recorder. Most cars made after 2005 have event data recorders within them, which allow police to accurately reconstruct the events leading up to a car crash.

Police can also use surveillance video tapes if they are available. Car accidents that happen near businesses with surveillance cameras installed can provide the police with important data. The videos give police the ability to witness the car accident without actually having been present at the time.

Accident reconstruction and evidence gathering after a car accident are delicate sciences. Make sure that your rights are protected by calling an experienced car accident attorney immediately. Anywhere in Missouri, you can contact the Bradley Law Firm to speak with an auto accident lawyer at any time.

Car accidents happen for many different reasons, but statistics show that certain factors are likely to cause car accidents than others.

Speeding

Speeding is the most common and frequent cause of car accidents. Many people ignore posted speed limits to help them get to their destinations more quickly. The faster you drive, the less time you have to react to the road around you.

Bad Weather

Bad weather cannot be controlled, but planning for potentially hazardous driving circumstances that come with rain, sleet, or snow is advisable. Be sure to drive with extreme caution in weather that causes slippery roads, a major cause of rear end collisions.

Drunk Driving

Even one drink can be too much to drive. Medical science has proven that a person with a blood alcohol level of just 0.01 is impaired enough to affect his or her driving. A drunk driver not only puts themselves at risk, but everyone else on the roads.

Fatigue and Sleepiness

Drivers who have not had enough sleep are at risk of drifting off and causing an accident. Sleepy drivers also have a delayed reaction time.

Distracted Drivers

Drivers who are on their cell phones, using their laptop, changing the stereo, talking with other passengers, or doing any number of other activities are not able to fully concentrate on the road. Anyone who engages in these dangerous driving distractions behind the wheel is putting himself and others at risk of a distracted driving car accident.

If you have been in a car accident in Missouri, please contact the Bradley Law Firm. Our car accident attorneys are here to help you get the compensation you deserve for your car accident injuries.

Statistics collected over the last decade show that the two most dangerous groups of drivers are teens and the elderly. There are a number of factors that increase the occurrence of accidents within those two groups, but car accidents happen every day to people of all ages.

Teen Drivers

The freedom and sense of empowerment that come with a driver’s license also come with a lot of responsibility. Young drivers are less practiced and will often take chances due to their feeling of “youthful invincibility.” Risk-taking combined with lack of experience is the perfect recipe for an accident, which is why teen drivers can be dangerous on the roads.

Elderly Drivers

On the flip side, experienced elderly drivers can be just as dangerous as inexperienced teen drivers. Despite their many years of driving experience, diminished reaction times, failing vision and hearing, and a sense of entitlement on the roads make elderly drivers just as dangerous as teens. In addition, elderly drivers’ physical condition can leave them more vulnerable to broken bones and other car accident injuries.

Ultimately, everyone on the road is responsible for being a safe driver and preventing car accidents from happening. The elderly and young are just as responsible for driving safely as everyone else.

If you have been involved in a car accident, you may need an attorney. Please contact the Bradley Law Firm today to speak with an experienced Missouri car accident attorney.

It is well known that being a safe driver can save you money on car insurance. It is also true that car accidents often have the nasty side effect of raising your car insurance premium, sometimes by as much as 20%.

The rise you see in your car insurance premium will depend on a few factors, including:

• Whether you were at fault or not
• The extent of the damage done to all vehicles
• Any injuries or car accident deaths involved.

If you are not at fault and your insurance company is able to reclaim all losses from the at-fault driver’s insurance, you will likely not see an increase in your monthly insurance premium. If you are at fault, your premiums may raise as much as 20%, or, in the worst case, your insurance provider may drop your coverage altogether.

Usually, if your claim is minor and involves less than $2000 of damage and no car accident injuries, you may see a premium increase of as little as 3%. These types of claims are on a three year timeline, so if you are accident free for three years following, your record will be renewed at the end of the three year period.

If you are looking for a car accident lawyer to help you negotiate with your insurance company for compensation, please contact the Bradley Law Firm today. The Bradley Law Firm serves St. Louis, Jefferson City, and all of Missouri.

Cities are always trying to find solutions to their traffic problems. One solution that is becoming more common across the country is the use of roundabouts (also known as traffic circles). They are an excellent alternative to stop lights and signs, and have been found to reduce the frequency of car accidents.

In California, a college town was faced with a particularly dangerous intersection that had been the scene of a shocking number of car accident injuries throughout the years, averaging 11 per year. For years, the city has used only stop signs in this intersection. Because of its notoriety, many drivers would go miles out of their way to avoid this intersection.

City planners have struggled for years trying to come up with a viable alternative for this intersection. Stoplights were rejected because a red light would back up traffic onto a freeway and across train tracks. Finally, a double roundabout has been proposed. The city claims a roundabout will reduce the number of traffic accidents at this intersection.

Dangerous intersections mean trouble for commuters and city planners alike. If you have been involved in a car accident in a dangerous intersection, you may need a car accident lawyer to help you get compensation for your injuries.

Please contact the Bradley Law Firm today if you need a car accident lawyer in Jefferson City, St Louis, or any city in Missouri.

Hybrid vehicles promise better fuel mileage and a reduced carbon footprint, making them a favorite among commuters and environmentally minded people alike. Driving any motor vehicle puts drivers at risk for being injured in a car accident in Missouri or in any state. However, hybrid and all-electric vehicles present an entirely new set of dangers to people who take them for granted as normal cars.

Normal cars make noise, from the engine revving to the rotating belts. Hybrid and electric cars use motors that work almost entirely on silent engines and only use electricity at slow speeds. While this is a great technological achievement, it presents dangers to pedestrians and other drivers.

Pedestrians face the most risk when they encounter a hybrid vehicle. Because these cars make little or no noise, pedestrians can step out into the street without knowing that there is a hybrid vehicle coming towards them. The blind or vision impaired are especially at risk here, because they have no way of knowing if an electric vehicle is coming at them.

If you are a driver of an electric or hybrid car, you need to pay special attention to your surroundings when travelling at slow speeds to protect yourself and those around you. The quiet motors are impressive, but can be dangerous in the right circumstances.

Have you been involved in a car accident with a hybrid vehicle? Please contact the Bradley Law Firm today to speak with an experienced Jefferson City car accident attorney.