When you’re driving your motorcycle in Fairbanks, remember that you’re significantly harder for other cars to see when compared to a standard automobile. This is especially so after our long winters when cyclists have not been on the roads and byways, and other drivers are out of the practice of looking for you. They are not looking for you, so you must be hyper-aware of them. The statistics do not fare well for cyclists, especially in the icy Fairbanks climate, so being constantly aware of the weather will also be beneficial.
To be a safe motorcyclist in Alaska, here are some things you should know to help avoid accidents:
- Safety helmets are required for riders under 18 years of age, all passengers regardless of age, anyone with an instruction permit regardless of age, and anyone taking his or her road test regardless of age.
- Due to the wonky daylight hours we get here in beautiful Alaska, headlights are required during day and night time for all motorcycles.
- Drivers are not allowed to lane split in Alaska. If there is a vehicle in your lane, you may not pass it. If there are cars in two adjacent lanes, you may not ride between them.
- Right and left mirrors are required on all motorcycles in the state.
- Riders are allowed to ride two abreast in a single lane of traffic if each rider has consented. There are no more than two riders allowed in one lane.
Motorcycle accidents are twenty-six times more likely to kill the rider than a standard automobile accident. It might go without saying that the very nature of the motorcycle makes it far more prone to life-threatening accidents. In a car, you’re surrounded by a metal force field. On a motorcycle, you’ve just got your clothes and hopefully a helmet to save you from a fatal impact with the asphalt. There has been a recent push for drivers to be more aware of motorcyclists, but sometimes raising awareness isn’t enough.
For motorcycle accidents in Fairbanks, AK, the lawyers at Ringstad Law Office, P.C. are extremely reliable and experienced. We have worked with many cases in the Fairbanks area, like this story:
There’s finally a day above forty degrees and you’ve been waiting to scratch that motorcycle itch all winter. You finish warming up at Forget Me Not Espresso and get on Airport Way for your inaugural ride. The truck next to you is on its way to the Tanana Valley Farmers Market and without having to even look, you know it’s carrying the legendary basil. There is something freeing and beautiful about being on a bike compared to a car. You’re part of the world around you, and there’s something in our nature that craves that. Just like the song goes, “Like a true nature’s child, we were born. Born to be wild.” The song plays through your head as you nod along and breathe in the distinctly Alaskan air. This ride was worth the wait through the winter. That’s the last thing you remember before you wake up in the stark white hospital bed in the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Emergency Room.
When you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, like the one detailed above, the laws and regulations are very different from a standard car accident. The best way to sort through the medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property damage is to know what you’re looking for. Let us handle the paperwork so that you can focus on healing yourself. If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in Fairbanks, Alaska, you deserve accurate representation. You should not have to fight a legal battle on your own. Contact us today to talk about your options. We work on a contingency fee basis, so if we don’t win you money, you don’t owe us anything. You have nothing to lose by calling to talk with us today about your motorcycle accident situation.
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