Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in the United States

Law/Nuestro blog/Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in the United States

Causes of Motorcycle Accidents in the United States

29/05/2024

Whether due to size, or footprint of the motorcycle, or sheer stability, or a combination of these factors, motorcycles are much more likely to be involved in an accident than other automobiles. Certainly, in some cases, this is a visibility issue as well, with many drivers of other automobiles not looking in their blind spots before entering a new lane. Almost eighty percent of motorcycle crashes end up causing death or injury (with only twenty percent of passenger car accidents ending in the same result). Here are some of the most common causes of motorcycle
accidents in the United States.

Substance Use

Intoxication through the use of drugs and alcohol is a major factor when it comes to motorcycle accidents. Almost thirty percent of motorcycle riders who are involved in fatal accidents are over the legal limit in terms of blood-alcohol
concentrations. Almost forty-five percent of those bikers involved in fatal accidents had some alcohol in their system at the time.

  • The obvious solution: Don’t drink and/or use and
    then drive
  • If you drink before driving, wait for at least
    one drink per hour, though for some people the wait should be longer

Reaction time and judgment can be immediately affected after only one drink, so it isn’t worth the risk.

High Speed

Motorcycles are exciting for the
freedom they offer. Sometimes, that freedom seems like it needs a little extra gas. Unfortunately, if you don’t know when is appropriate to accelerate, or you don’t obey the legal speed limits, you put yourself at increased risk of a motorcycle accident. In 2017, about thirty-one percent of motorcycle riders in the United States who ended up in fatal accidents were going above the speed limit. Speeding can put you at risk of tipping your bike, or make certain road conditions extra dangerous – like seams in the road, gravel, rain, etc. Speeding also makes it harder to compensate for anything – or anyone – around the corner when you head around it at high speed.

Poor Attention and Inexperienced Riders

Getting your motorcycle license only gets you so far. Riding a long time is what increases your capabilities as a rider, which is why many inexperienced riders are the cause of accidents. This includes the twenty-nine percent of fatal motorcycle accidents that happen at the hands of motorcycle riders who don’t have a license. The other big cause of motorcycle accidents is a rider simply not paying attention. People often think of themselves as multitaskers, but that is scientifically impossible, and in doing too many things at once – especially at  high speed – doesn’t allow us to make good decisions fast or make fast decisions well.

Stay Protected After Your Accident

If you’re in the unfortunate position of finding yourself in a motorcycle accident, you’ll need to call RS
Law Offices to consult on everything surrounding your accident. Hold on to all of your paperwork and be sure to file a police report, and keep everything related to injuries and loss of property.

blogs

You might like

Five Things to Know About Bike Accidents in Arizona

Bicycling may be the way to go for sustainable transportation, but that’s all the more reason why anyone in Arizona should make sure to practice basic bicycle safety. Over 47 million people in the United States ride bicycles, and that number will likely increase as some urban centers move away from fossil fuels and even […]

06/06/2024
Read more

Five Products for Truck Driver Safety

Truck drivers are the backbone of the economy, and their safety is of the utmost importance. Not only are they at special risk of trafficaccidents, but truck driving comes with a host of other dangers. The easiest way to stay safe while driving any vehicle is being aware of your surroundings and making sure your […]

29/05/2024
Read more

Clearing Up Workers Compensation Misconceptions

If we hear the term “workers comp,” we probably feel like we understand the basics – if you get hurt on the job, you file for workers comp, you get time off to heal and hopefully a little extra something along with your salary to make it all easier. In an ideal world, sure, it […]

29/05/2024
Read more

Five Apps for Bicyclists

Bicycle accidents happen all the time in the United States, and practicing bicycle safety is relatively simple – it just involves a lot of mindful riding and the safest possible equipment. Another part of safe bicycle riding is making sure you have your routes planned out and, in the case of an emergency, it doesn’t […]

29/05/2024
Read more

Winter Driving Safety Tips

Having your winter tires installed on your car and packing a windshield scraper is a good start to being prepared to drive in the winter, but as the cold weather gets harsher, the driving conditions get worse. With this comes the tendency for some people to overcorrect or not know how to stop properly, or […]

29/05/2024
Read more

Tips for Avoiding Car Accidents

Whether you’re driving in a place where the environment is a little more driver-friendly, or if you’re somewhere where the weather poses a driving hazard, you can’t go wrong having a working knowledge of how best to avoid accidents. In 2020 alone, there were nearly 36,000 fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States. Those […]

29/05/2024
Read more

Winter Slip and Fall Accident Tips

Whether your winter is cold and snowy or just plain cold, winter is a time when slipand fall accidents are increasingly likely. Cold, wind, ice and snow are problems on their own and when they combine, it’s a perfect storm of injury possibilities. Typically, these conditions result in bruises and bumps, but there’s always the […]

29/05/2024
Read more

The Most Unsafe Era for Pedestrians in 40 Years

Pedestrian safety is of utmost importance right now, and not just because pedestrians legally have the right of way in most places in the United States. Being asafer pedestrian is always key to avoiding injuries by being aware of ones surroundings and avoiding distractions, but as it stands, North Americans are not stemming the tide […]

29/05/2024
Read more

Bicycle Accidents

Bicycles may be a reliably safe mode of transportation but, as in so many accidents out in the world, the problem is not often with the mode of transportation you’re in, but how the person who hits you is traveling. Every year, more than 50,000 bicyclists are injured in collisions with automobiles. Too few of […]

29/05/2024
Read more

Five Pedestrian Accident Facts

Some numbers have Arizona as the most dangerous state in the U.S. when it comes to pedestrians. They are in the most danger by simply being outnumbered, which means accidents are likely to rise as the number of automobiles on the road continues to rise. It is important for you to not only understand how […]

06/06/2024
Read more

formulario de contacto

Póngase en contacto

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from RS Law Offices. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. View our Privacy Policy.