Motorcycle accidents can have devastating consequences, frequently resulting in serious personal injury or even death. It is possible to prove a tire defect caused your motorcycle accident. Proving that a tire defect caused a motorcycle accident requires careful investigation and legal guidance by a trained attorney. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident and believe a tire defect is the reason for your accident, contact a lawyer to begin investigating the circumstances of your accident and to determine whether compensation may be owed to you. 

Gathering Important Evidence 

To prove a tire defect caused your motorcycle accident, it is crucial to gather and preserve evidence. This may include photographs of the accident scene, the damaged tire, and any visible signs of a defect. Illinois law includes descriptions for what exactly is considered to be a tire defect. If your situation corresponds with what Illinois law specifies as signs of a defect, this can go a long way in helping to prove that your tire was defective and was the reason your accident occurred. Additionally, obtaining maintenance records, professional opinions, and witness statements can help further strengthen your case.

Professional Analysis

Engaging the services of a tire professional is essential in establishing a tire defect as the cause of the accident. These professionals can examine the tire, evaluate its design, manufacturing process, and materials, and determine if any defects or failures contributed to the accident. Their analysis can provide crucial evidence to support your claim. 

Every day, drivers take to the roads with the intention of getting from Point A to Point B without problems. Most of the time, people are able to do so successfully. Unfortunately, there are always car accidents waiting to happen, and one of the biggest dangers that currently affects people is distracted driving. In 2020, more than 3,000 people were killed in the U.S. as a result of distracted driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While those numbers are staggering, they only tell part of the story. For every fatal car accident caused by distracted driving, there are countless other accidents that result in serious injuries, property damage, and emotional trauma. 

Distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver's attention away from the task of driving. Distractions can come in many forms, but they can broadly be divided into three categories: visual distractions, manual distractions, and cognitive distractions. All of these distractions can be dangerous, but in many cases, drivers will engage in multiple types of distractions at the same time, and this can greatly increase the chances that they will become involved in accidents. Car accident victims will need to take steps to make sure a negligent driver who caused an accident due to distracted driving will be held liable for their damages.

Visual Distractions

These distractions cause a driver to take their eyes away from the road. Obviously, this is extremely dangerous, because it means a person is not paying attention to what is happening around them. They may fail to notice important details, such as a vehicle that has slowed down suddenly, a pedestrian who has entered a crosswalk, or an obstacle in the road. This will give them less time to react, and they may be unable to slow down, swerve, or take other actions to avoid an accident. Common examples of visual distractions include reading text messages, looking at a navigation system, paying attention to a billboard near the road, or "rubbernecking" to get a view of the scene of an accident.

Motor vehicle collisions of all types can be very dangerous, and they can lead to severe or fatal injuries for victims. However, commercial truck accidents can be especially devastating, and the large size and massive weight of 18-wheelers and similar vehicles may result in life-changing injuries and other types of damages. Truck accidents can be caused by a variety of issues, but one contributing factor that can sometimes be overlooked is defective equipment. Faulty parts or equipment that has not been properly maintained may cause a truck driver to lose control of their vehicle and collide with others. In these situations, victims may be able to pursue compensation from the manufacturers of defective parts, a company that did not perform proper maintenance, or other liable parties.

Common Equipment and Maintenance Issues on Commercial Trucks

Multiple types of equipment and components of large trucks may fail to function correctly, leading to dangerous accidents. Defective or faulty parts may include:

• Tires - A truck's tires are crucial to ensure that a driver can maintain control. Tires that are worn, that were installed incorrectly, or that were otherwise defective can cause blowouts, which can lead to a significant loss of control, no matter the truck's speed. However, blowouts that occur when a truck is traveling at highway speeds can have catastrophic results. 

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At any given time, there are millions of vehicles on Illinois roads. Cautious drivers need to be able to handle many different situations, including traveling at high speeds, navigating busy roads and intersections, and being aware of pedestrians or obstacles in the road. Traffic laws are in place to ensure that everyone can share the road safely. 

Unfortunately, many drivers violate these laws. These violations occur due to carelessness, lack of respect for others, stress related to busy schedules or other factors, anger at other people's actions, fatigue, and more. When drivers fail to obey traffic laws, they put themselves and others at risk. There are multiple types of violations that are likely to cause car accidents, including:

1. Speeding - This is one of the most common violations, as many people regularly travel at least a few miles per hour over the speed limit in order to get to their destinations as quickly as possible. Speeding makes it more difficult for a driver to stop in time if someone else slows down suddenly or if there is an obstacle in the road. It also increases the force of impact if a collision does occur.

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Without a doubt, driving a large commercial truck is a challenging job. Drivers must deal with long, lonely hours on the road, tight deadlines, and irregular schedules. These factors can make it difficult for commercial truck drivers to get the sleep they need. While federal regulations limit the number of hours drivers can drive without a rest break, fatigued driving is still a major contributor to severe and fatal truck crashes.

Sleepiness Behind the Wheel of a Big Rig

Everyone has experienced the sensation of sleepiness. Usually, fatigue is little more than an annoyance. However, research shows that fatigue can dramatically affect driving ability. Drivers who are sleepy have longer reaction times, slower information processing, and are less vigilant. Fatigue affects driving similarly to alcohol intoxication. Some sleep-deprived drivers even fall asleep at the wheel.

Because fatigued driving is so dangerous, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration restricts the number of hours a commercial truck driver can drive at a time. However, not every driver abides by these Hours of Service rules. Some drivers are even pressured by their employer to drive longer than federal law allows and falsify their logbooks to hide the evidence.