Every motor vehicle collision that occurs is a unique event. Different factors are present in every situation that can cause a crash or worsen its impact on the people involved. Connecticut sees many collisions that occur between two motor vehicles, as well as crashes that involve a vehicle striking a pedestrian or a cyclist.
Although motorcycles are technically motor vehicles, their lack of an enclosed passenger cabin minimizes the protection available when a four-wheel vehicle strikes a motorcycle. Technically, the causes and consequences of pedestrian, bicycle and motorcycle crashes are all different. However, there is one causative factor that connects these three seemingly disparate types of collisions to each other.
Drivers often claim they didn’t see the other party
The motorist accused of causing a motorcycle crash, hitting a pedestrian or striking a cyclist likely wants the police officer responding to the crash to be sympathetic toward them. They may feel as though they were perfectly safe on the road and the crash is not their fault.
Often, the explanation they give for causing the wreck was that they didn’t see the motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian. People might jump to the conclusion that someone must have been distracted to fail to notice a person or a vehicle, but that isn’t necessarily true. Technically, drivers can look right at a motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian and never notice them.
The phenomenon known as inattentional blindness is a major safety concern on the roads. If the brain has too much visual information to process, it prioritizes some details ahead of others. Safety is always the first concern, and therefore the brain focuses on what it believes might be a threat.
A city bus or dump truck is obviously a threat because it is much bigger than someone’s vehicle. People typically can’t help but notice larger, more imposing vehicles in traffic. On the other hand, someone could look right at a motorcycle or a pedestrian without ever cognitively becoming aware of their presence.
Drivers are still responsible for failing to notice others
Inattentional blindness does not excuse a driver’s mistakes. Intentionally pausing to look for pedestrians and smaller vehicles could prevent the vast majority of these crashes. Those affected by collisions need to understand the factors that contribute to their risk in order to bring an effective compensation claim and hold the right party accountable for their losses. At the end of the day, filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit could be a reasonable reaction to a car accident caused by a driver who doesn’t properly monitor their surroundings.
