Top 7 Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Clore Law · July 29 2015

While motorbike accidents can certainly result in motorcycle injury, they are also more likely to result in serious injury or death. So it pays to be aware of the most frequent causes of accidents in order to reduce your level of risk on the road.

Head-On Motorcycle and Vehicle Collisions

Head-on encounters involving cars and motorcycles make up just over half of motorcycle injury and death. In most of these crashes, the car will hit the bike from the front. Head-on accidents are often deadly to the person riding.

Cars Turning Left Are a Big Factor

This is one of the most dangerous situations for motorcyclists. Cars attempting to make left-hand turns account for almost half of the accidents that happen between a car and bike. The turning car typically strikes the motorcycle when the bike is:

• Passing the car
• Attempting to go through an intersection
• Attempting to take over another vehicle

The small size of the motorcycle make it harder to spot for cars that are trying to turn.

Motorcycle Lane Splitting

This happens when the rider moves between different lanes of slow or stopped cars, typically in a traffic jam. It is actually one of the most common causes of accidents and thus motorcycle injury due to:

• Reduced space the motorcyclist must maneuver
• Closeness of vehicles to bike
• Cars don't tend to anticipate that a car or bike will try to pass by in stopped or slow traffic

Drinking and Speeding

Almost half of the accidents involving a motorcyclist are caused by alcohol consumption or speeding. Since bikes don't offer much protection to the rider, these types of crashes are more likely to result in serious motorcycle injury or death.

Collisions with Fixed Objects

When a motorcyclist hits a fixed object, he or she is likely to be thrown far and land dangerously hard.

Certain Road Hazards

Motorcyclists face higher dangers from hazards on the road compared to cars. Dead animals, potholes, slick pavements and other irregularities or objects in the road are a serious threat to riders.

Sporty Motorcycles

High performance bikes account for a disparate number of fates. These varieties fall into two particular categories: sport and super sport motorcycles. The latter are built on racing platforms and are usually modified for highway use. They are lightweight and comprise high horsepower engines that can go at incredible speeds. The majority of riders of super sport bikes are under the age of 30 which also contributes to the high accident rate as riders tend to be less cautious than their more mature counterparts. The death rate among super sport bike accidents is a lot more than that of riders of conventional motorbikes like standards and cruisers. The death rate of sport bikes is double that of conventional motorcyclists.

Getting Help

For help choosing a good motorcycle injury attorney, contact the Clorelaw Group to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney.