Moped Accidents

Mopeds can be an easy and fun way to get around. Whether you’re using a moped to get to work or go for a leisure ride when the weather is nice, mopeds can be an enjoyable experience. However, like motorcycle accidents, moped accidents can cause serious injuries. When a car collides with a moped rider, there is little to protect that rider from being injured.

A moped is a scooter with an engine that is smaller than 50 cubic centimeters. Mopeds have automatic transmissions, and they can travel no faster than 30 miles per hour.

Mopeds are allowed to use all public roads, except they are not allowed on highways. They are also allowed to drive in certain bike lanes. Riders are required to obey all rules of the road, including stop signs, speed limits, and other safety rules.

Mopeds are entitled to use the road just as any car would. Unfortunately, other cars often don’t safely share the road. Mopeds are often treated as if they’re not supposed to be there. Drivers think that mopeds belong on the sidewalk or in the shoulder. They don’t understand that when a moped is operating safely in the middle of the road, the driver is not breaking any laws.

Another problem is that mopeds are sometimes difficult to see. When driving around town, most drivers are on the lookout for things they see every day. They’re looking out for cars, trucks, school busses, and pedestrians. A moped is not something a driver sees every day. At the same time, a moped is much smaller than even a compact sedan. Therefore, many drivers simply don’t see a moped before it’s too late.

Mopeds are especially difficult for truck drivers to see. Whether it’s a box truck or an 18 wheeler, large trucks have many blindspots. Mopeds are small enough to fit entirely within the blind spot. Therefore, inattentive truck drivers can turn into an unsuspecting moped driver with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Moped riders don’t have the same protection that people in other types of vehicles have. There are no airbags. There are no seatbelts. Often, the only protection that a moped rider has is a helmet. While helmets are helpful, they won’t protect from many serious injuries. Some of the most common types of injuries from a moped include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries and Concussion (even if the driver had a helmet)
• Fractures and Broken Bones
• Spinal Injuries including herniated and ruptured discs
• Shoulder Injuries
• Hip Injuries

One of the scariest parts of being in a moped accident is knowing that many mopeds do not have insurance. Since it’s not required, moped owners often take the risk and hit the road with not much more than a helmet.

Do not drive motorized vehicles without insurance! If there’s a crash, whether you or someone else is injured, there’s no worse feeling than knowing that insurance that is relatively cheap could have saved you from financial ruin.

Uninsured moped riders are usually only entitled to two types of insurance. The first is their own personal health insurance. However, they would still be responsible for copays, deductibles, and co-insurance. Those charges can add up quickly. They would also be able to make an insurance claim against the at-fault driver. However, if the other vehicle does not have enough insurance, the moped rider may be left with little to no compensation.

Whether your injuries are mild or catastrophic, you need an experienced attorney to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.

Insurance companies often come up with reasons to say that it was the moped driver’s fault, and not the car that hit him/her. In reality, the insurance company preys on the public’s misunderstanding of how the rules of the road work. They assume that you don’t know that a moped is entitled to use public ways.

At Marcotte Law Firm, we know the rules of the road, and we know how they apply to mopeds. We don’t let the insurance companies take you for a ride.

If you’ve been injured while on a moped, call the moped accident lawyers at Marcotte Law Firm for a free consultation.