Why Motorcycle Accidents on Airline Drive Are Often So Serious

Airline Drive is one of Metairie's busiest east-west corridors, carrying commuters, commercial trucks, delivery vehicles, and local traffic throughout the day. Portions of the roadway also allow traffic to maintain higher speeds than many nearby commercial streets, while numerous businesses, side streets, and major intersections create frequent turning movements.

Those combined factors can increase both the likelihood of certain types of motorcycle crashes and the seriousness of the injuries they cause.

Higher Speeds Can Lead to More Severe Injuries

Although traffic congestion sometimes slows vehicles, there are long stretches of Airline Drive where traffic moves at or above the posted speed limit. Motorcyclists have little physical protection compared to occupants of passenger vehicles, so even moderate increases in speed can significantly increase the force involved in a collision.

Crashes that might result in relatively minor vehicle damage between two cars can cause broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, or other life-changing injuries for a motorcyclist.

Left-Turn Collisions Are a Serious Concern

Much of Airline Drive is divided by a raised median, meaning left turns are generally limited to major intersections rather than individual business entrances. As a result, many turning movements occur at busy intersections where multiple lanes of traffic, traffic signals, and vehicles traveling in different directions all compete for the same space.

Many motorcycle crashes occur when a driver turns left across an oncoming rider's path. These collisions can happen when a driver:

• Misjudges the motorcycle's speed
• Fails to notice the motorcycle altogether
• Attempts to complete the turn before oncoming traffic arrives

Because motorcycles present a much smaller profile than passenger vehicles, they can sometimes be more difficult for drivers to notice, particularly when a driver is focused on finding a gap in traffic.

Frequent Lane Changes Increase the Risk of Collisions

Airline Drive typically has multiple lanes in each direction, giving drivers plenty of opportunities to change lanes as they prepare for turns, pass slower vehicles, or position themselves for upcoming intersections.

Unfortunately, motorcycles can remain in another driver's blind spot longer than larger vehicles simply because they occupy less space. If a driver changes lanes without carefully checking mirrors and blind spots, a motorcycle may have nowhere to go.

Even when a rider takes evasive action, swerving to avoid another vehicle can still result in a serious crash.

Vehicles Entering From Businesses and Side Streets

Unlike a limited-access highway, Airline Drive has numerous commercial driveways and side streets connecting to the roadway. Drivers entering traffic often have to judge vehicles approaching from several lanes away while also watching for gaps in traffic.

A motorcycle approaching at normal traffic speeds may be more difficult to detect than a larger SUV or pickup truck, particularly if visibility is partially blocked by signs, landscaping, parked vehicles, or other traffic. If a driver pulls into the roadway without enough space, the rider may have little time to brake or avoid the collision.

Commercial Trucks Create Additional Hazards

Airline Drive serves not only passenger vehicles but also delivery trucks, tractor-trailers, buses, and other commercial traffic. Larger vehicles create wider blind spots and require more room to maneuver than passenger cars.

A truck or large commercial vehicle may temporarily block another driver's view of an approaching motorcycle or make it harder for the rider to see developing traffic conditions ahead. When collisions involve large commercial vehicles, the difference in size and weight can also contribute to significantly more severe injuries.

Motorcycle Claims Often Face Greater Scrutiny From Insurance Companies

Motorcycle accident claims can become more complicated than many other car accident cases in Metairie. Insurance companies sometimes argue that the rider was speeding, weaving through traffic, or otherwise operating the motorcycle unsafely, even when the available evidence does not support those conclusions.

Because many of these crashes happen quickly and witnesses may have only seen part of what occurred, evidence often becomes especially important. Police reports, photographs, witness statements, dashcam footage, surveillance video, and the location and damage to the vehicles can all help reconstruct how the collision occurred and determine who was actually at fault.



If you've been injured in a motorcycle accident on Airline Drive, call Lawyer Don at (504) 508-6414. He can review your case, explain your legal options, and help you understand the next steps.