Typically when people discuss motorcycle accidents, it’s usually in reference to a collision with an inattentive driver. While this is very often the situation, there are actually several common causes for motorcycle accidents. And those related to other drivers account for most of the fatalities.
Even though really anything can cause an accident, for motorcyclists there are six situations that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration considers to pose the greatest threat to cyclists. Among the top six situations, only two are related to the behavior and decisions of other drivers, yet they account for the majority of fatalities.
Head on collisions with other drivers are considered to account for the overall majority of motorcycle crashes. For motorcyclists, no other threat on the road is as concerning as oncoming traffic. Distracted, tired or intoxicated drivers may be a threat to everyone on the road, but can be seen as a bigger threat to motorcyclists since cyclists are smaller, quicker and harder to see than full size vehicles. And while some head-on collisions may not kill or even harm an individual in the safe surroundings of a car, a motorcyclist is offered little protection aside from a helmet. For them and their passengers, head-on collisions usually mean catastrophic injuries or death.
Aside from head-on collisions, inattentive drivers that turn left in front of a motorcyclist statistically pose the next greatest danger. Over 40 percent of all motorcycle accidents are due to left hand turns made in front of cyclists. Since many of these accidents may be the result of drivers not giving cyclists proper warning by signaling their turn, some of these could be prevented.
Even though people may argue that motorcycle crashes are more common than car accidents, the truth is, they are not. Studies have shown that motorcycle accidents do not happen any more frequently than other types of accidents. This misconception may come from the fatality statistics related to their crashes. Those injured in motorcycle accidents statistically suffer more severe injuries than the passengers of other vehicles. For these individuals, a motorcycle accident injury attorney may be able to help hold negligent drivers accountable for injuries and get the compensation they deserve.
