Ontario Motor Cycle Accident Claims
Posted: Monday, August 03, 2009
by Brenda Hollingsworth
Auger Hollingsworth
The Ottawa lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth are often concerned about the threat to motorcyclists on the road. Let's face it, when it is car vs. motorcycle, motorcycle loses. A recent Canadian poll reveals interesting information about Canadians' perception of the risk of driving a motorcycle.
As a result, we read with interest when a recent public opinion poll conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) revealed that Canadian motorcyclists are not behaving more or less risky on the roads than drivers of other types of vehicles.
However interest groups and researchers may not agree and are suggesting that there is still cause for concern.
One TIRF researcher says that only about 17% of poll respondents saw motorcycle riding to be very or extremely risky. This low level of concern is due to the public's perception that motorcycle riders' driving is comparable to other road users.
For example, 25.5% of Canadian motorcyclists admit to riding well above the limit, while only 24.3% of drivers make the same claim. These numbers suggest that there actually is very little difference between riders and drivers.
Nevertheless, researchers and interest groups are concerned over the safety of motorcycles. The motorcyclist fatality rate in Canada has increased every year. The reason that riders can be more vulnerable to accidents is because they lack the protection of an enclosed vehicle.
Motorcycles are also missing many key safety features of cars such as seatbelts and airbags. When involved in a crash, a motorcycle rider without a helmet is 40% more likely to suffer a fatal head injury and 15% more likely to suffer a non-fatal injury.
The poll also shows that 73% of Canadians think motorcycles should be impounded if they are used for stunts on public roads. 66.2% of Canadians believe there should be increased fines for any riders who aren't wearing a proper helmet.
In Ontario, a motorcycle is considered a motor vehicle. Accident victims are entitled to statutory accident benefits after an accident that are identical to those available to car accident victims. In most cases, these benefits will be provided by your own insurance company.
In addition, you may have a claim against the driver who hit you, if he or she was at fault for the accident. You may be able to claim damages for pain and suffering, loss of past and future income, future health care costs and other related types of damages.
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Brenda Hollingsworth and Richard Auger are lawyers representing motorcycle accident victims in Ontario, Canada. Their law firm is Auger Hollingsworth, located in Ottawa. They are the authors of "An Injured Victim's Guide to Fair Compensation". To get free copy of this book, contact http://www.personalinjurottawa.ca ; email info@personalinjuryottawa.ca or call 613.233.4529.
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