Motorcycle Crash Statistics

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Motorcycle Accidents

This weekend we turn the clocks ahead, a sure sign that winter is getting ready to exit and spring will soon make its debut. Along with the warmer weather comes many outdoor activities. One of those activities that has grown in popularity over the past few years is motorcycle riding. Unfortunately, along with that increased popularity comes an increase in motorcycle crashes. Almost 5,000 people are killed each year in motorcycle accidents.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 80 percent of all motorcycle crashes result in either serious injuries or death. When a person climbs onto the seat of a motorcycle, they are completely unprotected, compared to the protection offered when driving a car or truck. There is no roof, no doors, no seat belts and no airbags. Other vehicles also offer more stability because they sit on four wheels, unlike the motorcycle which sits on two wheels.

Approximately 40 percent of motorcycle crashes are single-vehicle accidents and are often caused by inexperience of the driver, speeding, or driving under the influence. Other causes can be mechanical failure of the bike, slippery or obstacles on the roads.

The other 60 percent are multiple vehicle crashes. More than 30 percent of these crashes are caused by another driver, traveling in the opposite direction, attempting to take a left-hand turn, and drives right in the path of the motorcycle.

It is important for motorcyclists to pay extra attention to the road and the other vehicles around them, always driving in a defensive-mode. The motorcycle driver should always be anticipating what a vehicle driver may or may not do as oftentimes, a vehicle driver may not even see the motorcycle driving near them.

People who drive or ride on motorcycles should wear brightly colored clothing to help make themselves visible to the other drivers. They should also wear protective clothing and eyewear to help prevent injuries if they are in a crash. One of the most critical pieces of equipment anyone on a motorcycle should wear is a helmet. Statistics show that states without an all-rider helmet law, almost 60 percent of the victims killed in motorcycle accidents were not wearing a helmet. For states with helmet laws, that number was only eight percent.

If you have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, contact a Lake County wrongful death attorney to find out what legal recourse you may have against the at-fault driver for your family’s pain and loss.

Sources:

http://saferoads.org/issues/motorcycle-helmets/

http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/motorcycle/safebike/anatomy.html