Motorists in Illinois, just like all other drivers in the United States, have a responsibility to share the road with motorcyclists. They also have a duty to exercise care and safety towards them. Motorcycle accidents can lead to serious injuries.
Data from the Governors Highway Safety Association report ranks Illinois amongst the top ten states with high motorcycle fatalities. Moreover, data from the Illinois Department of Transportation shows that more non-motorcyclists are prone to injuries or even death in motorcycle accidents.
Causes of Motorcycle accident in Illinois
- Distracted driving
- Unsafe Lane Changing
- Dooring
- Road-Debris
- Animals and wildlife
Some motorcycle accidents are mild and only lead to scratches or bruises. However, some can be very severe, resulting in serious consequences such as being hospitalized, amputation and even death. These make the victim eligible to demand compensation. Injuries from motorcycle accidents that can warrant a victim to demand compensation include
- Road rash
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Biker’s arm
- Facial injuries
- Neck or Spine Injury
If you or your loved one has been injured or lost a loved one in a motorcycle injury in Illinois, you should seek the services of experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Tuite Law. They can help you get maximum compensation and legal compensation to ensure the responsible parties are held responsible.
Illinois Motorcycle Laws
All drivers and riders have to abide by general traffic state laws for the safety of all road users. There are, however, state laws in Illinois which are applicable to motorcyclists only. Failure to abide by these laws has dire consequences such as:
- Expensive tickets
- The potential loss of rider’s license, especially if you have past traffic offenses
- Increased insurance rates
- Addition of points to a rider’s license
There are motorcycle laws in Illinois which riders should be aware of to be on the safe side with the law. These laws are usually meant to protect all motorcyclists and their passengers.
Helmets
In Illinois, the rider or their passengers are not required by law to wear safety helmets. Despite this, it is important to wear helmets when riding. NHTSA data shows that head trauma is usually the leading contributor to death in most motorcycle accidents. These can be minimized by the use of safety helmets.
Passengers
There are no age restrictions in Illinois for motorcycle passengers. The law, however, states that the design of the motorcycle should be able to accommodate two people. Both the rider and passenger must wear protective eyewear.
Equipment
All riders must ensure that their motorcycles are equipped with at least one side-view mirror, headlights, and stoplights, handgrips below shoulder height and horn. Both passenger and rider must have eye protection light glasses or goggles unless the motorcycle has a transparent windshield.
The motorcycle should also be equipped with passenger seats and footrests, especially when passengers are to be ridden on the motorcycle.
Operation
Illinois laws stipulate that all motorcyclists must have their headlight on at all times, even in the daytime. Lane splitting and riding on one wheel are all illegal.
License
The motorcyclists in Illinois must hold valid Class L or Class M licenses or permit in order to operate a motorcycle.
Insurance Requirements
For the lawful operation of motorcycles in Illinois, the driver must be insured by a policy which meets minimum coverage requirements for bodily injury and property damage.
