Because riding a motorcycle is exciting and pleasant, many people buy motorcycles and obtain licenses. Many motorcyclists also drive cars or trucks, so they are familiar with the regulations governing both types of automobiles. Like other leisure pursuits like surfing, rock climbing, or skiing, riding a motorcycle can give the rider an adrenaline rush.
Motorcycle riders describe the adrenaline rush of riding as being nearly ecstatic, with a sense of peace as they ride. This sense of peace is comparable to what one could experience during meditation. In many ways, riding a motorcycle is a type of meditation.
Despite the exhilarating feelings accompanying motorcycle riding, it is still far riskier than doing so in a conventional car. The fatality rates of motorcyclists substantially exceed the number of fatalities in vehicle and truck accidents.
Even if bikers are as careful as possible, they cannot control the other drivers on the road. Hence accidents are sure to happen. Unfortunately, injuries are more serious than those caused by auto accidents.
Motorcycle riders must consider the common causes of motorcycle accidents’ fatalities to ride as safely as possible. Motorcycle riders can take the required precautions to be ready for these circumstances if they know the most frequent reasons for motorcycle accidents.
It is crucial to call a Bakersfield motorcycle accident lawyer to discuss your options and the potential for filing a personal injury claim if you are hurt in a motorcycle accident that was the result of another driver’s negligence.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics
According to 2018 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research, there were 4,985 motorcycle fatalities in the US. This represents a slight 5% decline from the 2017 data. In other words, for every 100 million vehicle miles driven in 2018, there were 24.83 fatalities.
This may seem like a small number of fatalities when viewed in context. However, there were 4,985 deaths in 2018, which is 27 times more fatalities from vehicles and trucks combined. Because motorcycles lack the safety measures found in automobiles and trucks, motorcyclists killed in motorcycle accidents have a substantially higher risk than passengers in closed cabin vehicles.
How are Motorcycle Accidents More Dangerous Than Truck Accidents?
Due to the lack of protection motorbikes provide their users, they are riskier to ride than driving cars. No steel windows, doors, or safety belts shield the motorcycle rider during a collision. Vehicles like cars and trucks are made of metal, enclosing occupants in a metal cage. The metal shielding motor vehicle occupants absorb most of the force of an impact.
More impact-absorbing vehicles are less likely to hurt their passengers. Manufacturers of cars and trucks enhance the shock-absorbing qualities of their products every year to protect the occupants better. For motorcyclists, however, this is not the case because they have nothing to cushion their bodies from the intensity of a hit.
Thus, when they crash, their bodies receive the entire force of the blow. The damage caused by this enormous force on the body is much more serious. Manufacturers of motorcycles cannot consistently develop new safety features to lessen the effects of auto accidents.
What Commonly Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcycles are often fast, making them more difficult to notice on the road. Because of this, motorcycle accidents are commonly caused by poor visibility. This is the origin of the proverb, “Look twice, save a life.” It implies that it is crucial to look twice before making any kind of vehicle maneuver, such as changing lanes or turning, to check for any motorcycles nearby carefully.
The fact that motorcycles have fewer and smaller lights than trucks or cars is another frequent reason for accidents involving motorcycles. As a result, visibility is compromised while operating a motorcycle. Other drivers struggle to prevent a potential collision when they cannot see the biker.
The quantity of vision is also reduced when a motorcycle rider is near a semi-truck or any other high-off-the-ground vehicle. Due to semi-truck size and its effect on motorcycle visibility, motorcycles are in even greater danger than tiny or midsized cars.
What Commonly Causes Fatalities in Motorcycle Accidents?
Head injuries are the leading cause of fatality in motorcycle accidents. Although the head, neck, and brain are among the most important body components, they are also most susceptible to injury.
A helmet helps but cannot lower the risk of stress and injury because the head and brain do not have the same protection in an accident as they do while driving a car. When a motorbike rider collides with another vehicle or falls from their motorcycle, their head and brain are at grave risk of severe injury.Motorcycle accidents can be incredibly dangerous, and the main causes of death in motorcycle accidents are often due to collisions with other vehicles. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are more than three times as likely as car drivers to die in a crash. If you’re involved in a motorcycle accident, you must contact an attorney as soon as possible to get legal advice about your rights and compensation options.
