Motorcycle Accident Statistics

• Motorcyclists are about 18 times more likely to be in a fatal accident and 3 times more likely to be injured than those in passenger cars.
• The fatality rate for motorcyclists was 3.6 times greater than the fatality rate for occupants of passenger cars.
• 41% of the 1,203 motorcycle operators who were killed in single-vehicle crashes were intoxicated.
• Helmets were approximately 29% effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcyclists.
• 49% of young motorcyclist who were fatally injured in motorcycle accidents were not wearing helmets at the time of the crash.
• Approximately 75% of motorcycle accidents involved collision with another vehicle — usually a passenger automobile.
• Motorcycle equipment failure accounts for less than 3% of motorcycle accidents — usually due to a puncture flat.
• In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error causes 66% of motorcycle accidents – the typical error being a slide out and fall due to over braking or running wide on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
•  Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident cause in 2% of motorcycle accidents.
• Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents
• The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph and the median crash speed was 21.5 mph.
• Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in accidents have insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.
• Motorcycles – Motorcycles are involved in such a high number of traffic collisions, because they are so hard to see on the road.
• Approximately three-fourths of the motorcycle collisions studied involved a collision with another vehicle.
• Approximately one-fourth of the motorcycle collisions studied involved a collision with the roadway or a fixed object in the environment.
• One percent of the collisions studied involved an animal.
• In two-thirds of the collisions that involved another vehicle, the driver of the other vehicle was at fault by violating the motorcycles right-of-way.
• 92% of the motorcycle collisions studied, involved motorcycle riders that were self-taught or learned from family or friends.
• Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement, and motorcycle size.
• In the motorcycle collisions studied, less than ten percent of the riders had insurance to cover medical care or to replace property.

Tips for Driver and Motorcycle Riders

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggest the following safe driving tips that can be used to safely share the road with motorcyclist:

• Respect the motorcyclist: Remember, motorcycles are vehicles with all the privileges of any vehicle on the road. Give the motorcyclist a full lane of travel.
• Look out: Watch for motorcycles on the highway, at intersections and when they make left turns or lane changes.
• Anticipate a motorcyclist’s maneuver: Obstructions that you may ignore- such as debris or potholes- can be deadly for a motorcyclist. Anticipate evasive actions taken by motorcyclists.
• Allow plenty of space: Don’t follow a motorcycle too closely. Allow enough room for motorcyclist to take evasive actions.

Motorcycle Safety Tips

 In an average year 166,000 Americans will be hospitalized as a result of a motorcycle accident. 4,700 of them die. Many others will be crippled. Why?                       Three primary reasons:

1. A motorcycle is harder to see;
2. A motorcycle offers little or no protection; and
3. A motorcycle’s handling is tricky.

The following are tips from the NHTSA for the motorcyclist:

• Wear protective clothing: The most important factor in reducing injury is personal protection. Leather jackets, gloves, long pants, proper footwear, eye protection, and helmets that provide this personal protection.
• Ride where you can be seen: Make sure you can be seen by drivers around you. Never ride in another driver’s blind spot.
• Drive defensively: Drive your motorcycle defensively; always watch out for others around you.
• Leave a buffer zone: Give yourself extra space in your lane for emergency braking situations or other avoidance maneuvers.
• Single lanes: Never share a lane with a car. A driver may not expect you to be there and may not be aware of your presence. Most drivers are looking for vehicles, not motorcycles.
• Use signals: Always clearly signal your intentions to other drivers. Signal before changing lanes, make your lane move gradually, and never weave between lanes.
• Maintain your motorcycle: Make sure your motorcycle is in good condition. Have your motorcycle inspected to insure good mechanical condition.
• Light-colored clothing: Wear fluorescent or light colors during the day and reflective materials in the evening and at night. Remember, See and Be Seen!
• A study conducted by Harry Hurt at the University of Southern California, called “Motorcycle Collision Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures”

What to do after a Motorcycle Accident

Your response immediately after an accident is important to preserve the evidence essential to any potential claim. If possible, obtain the following information.

• Obtain the name, address, and telephone number of the other driver(s).
• Obtain the drivers license number(s) of the other driver(s).
• Obtain the insurance information of the other driver(s).
• Obtain the make, model and year of the other vehicles(s) and check the vehicle registration. Take down the vehicle owner’s name and address, if it is a person or corporation or entity different from the driver. If it is a company vehicle, write down the name and address of the company. If it is a leased or rented vehicle, write down the name, address and telephone number of the rental company.
• Give the other driver(s) your name, address, driver’s license number and insurance information.
• Look around immediately and identify any and all possible witnesses to the accident. Ask for their names, addresses, telephone numbers (both home and work), and where they work. If they do not want to get involved, take down their car license plate number and state.
• Listen carefully to what the other driver(s) say about the events leading up to the accident, e.g., “I didn’t see you.” and write it down.
• Call the Police, or have someone else call the Police immediately. The police officer will generally interview all drivers and take witness statements from all witnesses still present. The police may also collect vital physical evidence and make important skid or debris measurements useful in “reconstructing” the point of impact and vehicle speeds upon which the auto driver’s liability will often turn.
• Ask the police officer to find out where the other driver was going. If the driver was on an errand for his or her employer, “in the course and scope of his or her employment,” you may find you have another good “potential defendant.”
• Follow through on all medical care, treatment, and therapy recommended by you physician(s).
• Contact our office. It is critical that you find the appropriate attorney to represent you right from the start.
• Do Not sign any writings by the other driver purporting to summarize the facts of the accident.
• Do Not get into an argument with the other driver(s) about what happened.
• Do Not have your bike repaired. Not until you have an attorney who can have the bike inspected, photographed, and provide the Insurer or Defense Attorney notice and an opportunity to inspect the bike.
• Do Not permit anyone to interrogate you about the events of the accident, particularly the other party’s attorney, representatives of the other party’s insurance company, or even representatives of your own insurance company. If your insurance policy requires that you report your accident within a time certain, this is another reason to obtain an attorney immediately.
• The major dangers associated with communications with other parties, their attorneys, their insurance representatives and your insurance representatives can all be avoided by immediately by contacting our office.