Motorcycle Accident

Motorcycle crashes often result in more serious injuries and death than other types of accidents

Motorcycle accidents are not more frequent than other kinds of crashes but are significantly more likely to end in serious injuries and death for the motorcycle rider. According to statistics compiled by the federal government, motorcycle crashes resulted in 35 times more deaths than car crashes did.

One way to improve motorcycle safety and reduce accident rates is to be aware of the common causes of crashes, including:

  • Vehicles turning left: Statistically, the most dangerous setting for a motorcyclist occurs when cars are making left-hand turns. These types of collisions account for 42% of all crashes between motorcycles and other vehicles.
  • Head-on collisions: The vast majority of motorcycle crashes with cars occur when they collide head-on. These head-on crashes result in a higher fatality rate than other types of crashes.
  • Lane Splitting: Lane splitting refers to when a motorcyclist drives between two lanes of cars, typically in heavy traffic when car movement is slowed or stopped.
  • Speeding and alcohol impairment: Statistically, approximately half of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes have speeding and alcohol use as factors.
  • Crashes between motorcycles and stationary objects: Motorcyclists crashing with fixed objects result in 25% of motorcyclist deaths.
  • Road hazards: Hazards such as potholes, icy conditions, uneven lanes, and objects in the road pose significant danger to motorcyclists whose vehicles are smaller and less stable.

The nature of the motorcycle itself, as a smaller, lighter-weight, harder-to-see form of transportation traveling in a world of larger vehicles, means that motorcyclists need to exercise greater caution to avoid accidents and injuries. Awareness of the typical causes of collisions is a great place to start.

After a serious or fatal motorcycle crash, it is crucial to get help for the victim

After an accident, many things need to happen at once. The injured rider needs top-quality medical care, the police need to determine how the accident happened, and an injury attorney needs to launch an insurance claim, to help the motorcyclist and the family members recover financially after a motorcycle crash. If someone is killed in a collision, a wrongful death claim will begin the process of financial recovery for the family left behind. 

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