Members of law enforcement in Omaha have been actively working to discourage, curb, and punish reckless driving in the city. Three of the most problematic areas have been street racing, excessive speeding, and stunt riding. The Nebraska State Patrol had a recent campaign where this type of “exhibition driving” was the focus, and the campaign resulted in dozens of citations and the impounding of four motorcycles.
“This type of driving – whether in a vehicle or on a motorcycle – is not only dangerous to the driver, but to every other person on the road as well,” said Thomas T. Inkelaar, an Omaha Motorcycle Accident Attorney with Inkelaar Law. Exhibition driving can make the driver much less aware of their surroundings and can make them more likely to cause an accident.
Motorcyclists that are not participating in this type of driving are particularly at the mercy of others on the road. The phrase “look twice, save a life” was coined to remind drivers to take an extra moment to be certain that they have not missed a motorcycle before executing a maneuver. However, drivers that are participating in this type of exhibition driving are certainly unlikely to remember the phrase and have already shown a lack of concern for others on the road, making them even more dangerous to motorcyclists.
If you or a loved one have been injured while riding a motorcycle by another driver participating in this sort of reckless operation of a vehicle, you should act accordingly to preserve your rights as the injured party:
- Call the police. Do not work out an agreement with the driver if they offer to pay provided the police are not called. Police officers will write accident reports and interview each party to determine the factual situation and will issue citations if necessary. Allow the police to do this incredibly important work, which will also help your case from an evidence standpoint.
- Do not decline medical attention if you have been injured.
- Take photographs of the scene and damage. If you are not badly injured, take photographs of the accident scene and the damage to the vehicles.
- Gather contact information for any witnesses at the scene.
- Finally, contact an experienced Omaha motorcycle accident attorney. An attorney will be able to advise you as you start down the path to recovery, both physically and for any damages suffered.
