Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Operating a motorcycle can be exhilarating experience; however, it can also, tragically, be deadly. Because motorcycles afford less protection than other motor vehicles, motorcyclists are far more likely to be killed in a single-vehicle accident (i.e., an accident not involving a collision with another vehicle) than any other motorist. Indeed, each year, nearly half of all motorcycle-related deaths occur in single-vehicle accidents. While deaths in automobile accidents declined substantially in the latter half of the first decade of the twenty-first century, deaths in motorcycle accidents continued to rise.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over one-quarter of all motorcyclists involved in accidents in 2007 were legally intoxicated. However, the most common cause of motorcycle accidents is collisions with passenger vehicles in which the driver of the passenger vehicle was at fault. Unfortunately, many drivers are not vigilant enough when they are behind the wheel, failing to watch out for motorcycles when they change lanes or make turns. This was confirmed in a study funded by the NHTSA and led by Harry Hurt at the University of Southern California. In most motorcycle-car collisions, the driver of the car either did not see the motorcycle or saw the motorcycle only after it was too late to avoid the collision.
There are, of course, many other possible causes of motorcycle crashes. Lane splitting, while technically legal (depending on state laws), is also highly dangerous and can result in an accident. Likewise, motorcycles are extremely susceptible to accidents due to inclement weather and flaws in the road. While operators of passenger vehicles must strive to be more aware of motorcycles, motorcyclists must be extra careful to avoid collisions, knowing that their vehicles are more difficult to see.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident that was not your fault, it is in your best interests to consult with a qualified and experienced motorcycle accident attorney at a personal injury law firm.