St. Louis Defective Road Design Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

Compensation for Injuries Caused by Defective Road Design

We tend to think of roads as simply a way to get around, not as a “product” with “defects” that can cause injury. However, bad road design or poor maintenance are both types of road defects that can cause serious harm. The risk of injury due to defective road design is often higher for motorcyclists than for those in cars. Since a motorcycle requires balance and has fewer points of contact with the road than a car, it is more likely to skid or flip due to a defect in the road, which can cause very serious injuries.

Defective Design Is Dangerous

Roads must be laid out with enough distance, visibility, and information available to allow drivers to see risks coming and to avoid them. Motorcyclists must be able to see, process, and react to changes in the road surface, other people or vehicles on the road, changes in weather conditions, location of intersections and ramps, and other variables. When a road is not laid out in a way that allows motorcyclists to do these things safely, a serious crash can result.

Engineers responsible for laying out roads must take many elements into consideration to ensure the resulting roadway is safe for all who might use it, including motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists. When a necessary design element is not incorporated properly or is overlooked, dangerous conditions may result. Some common design defects that can lead to serious injuries in a motorcycle crash include:

• Missing or inadequate signs and signals, such as a lack of stop signs, lights, or signs that cannot be read in bad weather or at night.
• Blind curves that prevent the driver from seeing an oncoming vehicle or a hazard hidden behind the curve.
• Missing guardrails or guardrails that aren’t long enough to adequately protect those on the road from tumbling down an embankment or suffering another serious injury.
• Inadequate lighting that prevents motorcyclists from seeing changes in road condition, intersections, or oncoming hazards.
• Overly narrow lanes that force vehicles to ride too close together or to risk entering oncoming lanes of traffic.
• No shoulder or a shoulder in bad condition on the side of the road.

Poor Maintenance Defects

Failure to maintain a road properly can also cause defects that can lead to accidents, especially for motorcyclists. In Missouri, where temperatures can dip below freezing during the winter months, road maintenance is a particular concern since every freeze-thaw cycle causes additional damage to roads on top of the wear caused by drivers, storm damage, and other issues. Common defects that can result from failed road maintenance include:

• Potholes, cracks, and other damage that can cause a motorcycle to skid or flip.
• Broken traffic signals that are not promptly fixed.
• Vegetation overgrowth that hangs into the road or obscures vision around curves or at intersections.
• Construction hazards or failure to warn about upcoming construction.
• Structural problems in bridges or overpasses.

How a Missouri Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Can Help

Our diligent St. Louis defective road design motorcycle accident attorneys know how to examine roadway conditions carefully and hold any negligent parties or agencies accountable for defects that cause motorcycle accidents. Call us today at (314) 322-8515 for a free and confidential case evaluation.