As roads get better and automobile/motorbikes with better technology become available, the number of motorcycles on the road, as well as the number of motorcycle accidents has steadily increased over the last decade. NHTSA reported that 4,985 motorcyclists were killed in 2018. Additionally, the number of deaths on motorcycles was reported to be nearly 29 times the number in cars.
Motorcycle accidents are problematic for several reasons. Depending on the severity of the accident, speed, as well as usage of helmets and other protective gear, motorcycle accidents can cause long-term damage that disrupts other parts of the rider’s life. Let’s look through some of the most common motorcycle accident scenarios.
Motorcycle Accidents Cause of Speeding
Speeding is one of the most common causes of all accidents. Now, if you have a powerful vehicle, there’s nothing wrong with stepping on the gas and enjoying the ride. Unfortunately, the big concern with speed is that it leaves very little reaction time, approximately 2-3 seconds for a bike ride to react to a potential accident scenario. High-performance motorcycles which are lighter and accelerate faster, although fewer in number, account for a higher number of speeding accidents.
DUI
According to the NHTSA, approximately 43 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve alcohol. DUI accidents are especially dangerous as the rider hardly has the consciousness to take steps that could avoid or mitigate the accident and its damages. Thus, whether you’re a frequent rider or a newbie, stick to your state’s DUI limits and preferably, set your personal limits way below that.
Left-Turn Motorcycle Accidents
Over 40% of all accidents involving a collision between a car and motorcycle are a result of left turns gone wrong. Right of way errors in left turns, as well as misjudging the distance to be maintained lead to left-turn accidents. These mostly occur at intersections, and while its more likely that the car driver is at fault, the damage and losses are suffered by the motorcycle rider.
Lane Splitting
Lane splitting is a major issue with bike riders, and many states have actually established laws to simplify accident cases and find at-fault parties. NHTSA data suggests that 11 out of every 100,000 accidents occur because of lane splitting. Lane-splitting, lane-sharing as well as lane filtering are all illegal in the state of Georgia.
Head-On Collision
Head-on collisions between a motorcycle and a car are often fatal for the motorcyclist. Per vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists are about 28 times more likely than people in passenger cars to die in a traffic crash. These collisions occur when both the motorcycle and the car are usually driving at fairly high speeds. Depending on the speed, if a motorcycle comes to an abrupt stop in a split second, the driver will be either crushed or catapulted through the air and likely into some hard surface. Helmets can limit the injury but the rider may suffer from concussions or other brain injuries.
Rear-Ending
Another common accident that occurs as a result of inattentive riding is rear-ended accidents. This is also a common occurrence with stationary bikes at crossroads, while waiting for the signal to turn green. To avoid being rear-ended or being at-fault in a rear-ending accident, approach a cluster of vehicles slowly, leaving a gap as a crumple zone. While riding, don’t hog whole lanes and allow tailgaters to go by.
Riding Too Fast into a Bend
Speed masters know this one well. An empty road either makes for an overconfident rider or a distracted rider. In effect, they ride a little too fast on the bend, and lose control of the vehicle, causing it to spring uncontrollably
Car Door – An Open and Shut Case
This is a very common accident that occurs in narrow lanes that have cars parked to its sides. Passengers/drivers getting out of the car to forget to check for oncoming traffic before opening their doors and a rider approaching from behind collides straight into the door. Depending on the speed of the motorcycle and the angle of the door, the door may get blown off completely. Most importantly, a partially open door acts like a lance, causing major injuries to the rider.
External Conditions – Bad, Snowy, Old Roads
Crumbling pavement, potholes, debris, lack of sufficiently visible road signals and signs are all external factors that affect a rider’s ability to avoid accidents. In addition, wet or snowed up roads, a common issue across the country cause accidents often. Surely, tire technology has evolved over time to offer more stability against water and snow, but there’s only so much it can help. Eventually, it is the rider’s prerogative to treat the vehicle right and be at their most alert self while riding.
Riding in a Convoy
Forming two parallel lines of bikes following each other through makes for very good video footage. Unfortunately, it also is an extremely risky idea. It takes incredible concentration and a good estimate of the speeds of the other riders. If one goes down, it can very quickly lead to a domino situation.
Motorcycle accidents are also tougher to be contested and won in the eyes of law, for its laws are very different from automobiles. If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident and are interested in pursuing a case against the at-fault party in the state of Georgia, you will need a lawyer with extensive experience in motorcycle cases.
Attorney Riah Greathouse holds experience across personal injury domains and will be your trusted friend, advisor, and fighter to secure you a fair deal. Reach out today for a free consult.
