Your teen wants to ride a motorcycle. As a parent, you can support this exciting opportunity for your child by understanding the motorcycle license requirements in Iowa, by teaching your child what to do if a bike crash occurs, and by being there to advise your child both before and after an accident.
Iowa Motorcycle Licenses for Teens
In Iowa, a teenager can get a motorcycle instruction permit at age 14. In order to get the permit, you must pass a written test and pay a nominal fee. With a permit, you may ride with an immediate family member who is age 21 or over or an unrelated adult who is age 25 or older. Anyone your teen rides with must have a valid motorcycle license.
By age 16, an Iowa teenager can add a motorcycle endorsement to a current license or can get a class M motorcycle license only. Your teen will need to take a knowledge test, a driving test, and a vision test in order to get either a motorcycle license or a motorcycle endorsement.
Compliance with Iowa licensing laws is mandatory and it can provide your child with valuable experience and knowledge to stay safe on the road. Unfortunately, not every crash can be prevented.
Teach Your Child What to Do If an Accident Occurs
Riding a motorcycle is an enjoyable activity, and it is one that our lawyers have in common with your teen. We strongly believe that all riders—regardless of their age—have the right to be safe on Iowa roads. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. Sometimes the negligence of another driver causes a motorcycle accident injury.
If your teen was the rider who was hurt, then your child may be quickly overwhelmed. Your child may be in a lot of pain and unsure of how to handle the chaotic scene of the bike crash. While you may not be at the scene as soon as your child gets hurt, you can prepare your child for what to do if a bike accident occurs. Specifically, it is important to make sure that your child knows to:
- Call 911. This will dispatch police and first responders to the scene to help keep your child safe.
- Only talk to the police and first responders. Do not talk to other drivers or anyone else about the cause of the crash or your injuries.
- Call you as soon as possible. That way, you can either come to the accident scene or advise your child over the phone during this difficult time.
- Accept medical help. Some injuries aren’t immediately apparent. Therefore, you want to make sure that your child is seen by a doctor whether or not your child is experiencing pain.
- Take pictures. If possible, encourage your child to take pictures of the accident scene, the vehicles involved, and his injuries. They could be important pieces of evidence later.
- Exchange license and insurance information with other drivers. This will help you locate the other parties to the accident later and make the necessary reports to the right insurance companies.
- Write down the names and contact information for any eyewitnesses. People who witnessed the crash may provide important information about your child’s case.
Your goal is neither to scare your child nor to discourage your child from riding. Instead, your goal is to give your teen all of the necessary information to make the important decisions that many adults have trouble making in traumatic situations such as motorcycle crashes.
Get the Professional Help Your Child Needs After a Bike Wreck
You are doing everything that you can to support your child’s interest in riding and to protect your child after a motorcycle crash. You are your child’s best advocate, but you don’t have to do all of this alone. Instead, if your teenager has been hurt in an Iowa motorcycle accident, then you have the right to contact an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer for help.
Our skilled attorneys and experienced motorcycle riders know how to investigate motorcycle crashes, know how to make sure that all riders—including teen riders—are taken seriously, and know how to protect your child’s right to a fair recovery.
If someone else caused your child’s motorcycle accident injuries, then we will fight hard to get your child fair compensation for the past and future medical expenses, lost income, out-of-pocket costs, pain, suffering, and other damages that your child suffered. Call us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at your convenience.