Motorcycle accidents, as any personal injury attorney will tell you, are usually deadlier than car accidents. Whereas a car can help shield a motorist from injuries, the only protection a motorcycle rider really only has a safety helmet - if he or she is in fact wearing one - to prevent serious injury.
In my personal injury law practice in Seattle, Washington, I see my share of tragedy that comes as a result of riding the roads on two wheels instead of four. I would like to share some somber statistics on motorcycle accidents and caution bikers to be extra cautious when traveling.
• The number of accidents increases regularly year-to-year in the U.S.
• Motorcycle deaths are 30 times as great as for those who drive automobiles
• Riders under 40 are 36 more times as likely to be in an accident fatality than other drivers who are the same age
• Motorcycle riders over 40 are around 20 times more likely to be in an accident fatality than other drivers who are the same age
• Motorcycle fatalities make up about 5 percent of all highway deaths, but motorcycles represent only 2 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S.
• Approximately 80 percent of motorcycle accidents result in personal injury or death. Car accidents? Only 20 percent.
• Most motorcycle accidents are caused by the simple fact that other vehicles fail to see them
• Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents
• 92% of motorcycle users involved in accidents have no safety or riding training; instead they learned on their own or from friends. Motorcycle rider safety training has been shown to significantly reduce personal injury and wrongful death in traffic mishaps.
• The typical motorcycle accident allows the operator only 2 seconds to take action to avoid a harmful collision
• In 73% of all motorcycle accidents, the rider is not using any eye protection (safety goggles, for example) and diminished vision resulting from wind delays critical reaction time to danger
• The use of a safety helmet did not cause any significant failure to hear traffic noises or create a limited field of vision that contributed to a motorcycle accident
• Riders and passengers using helmets suffered significantly lower head and neck injuries.
These statistics clearly show that motorcycle usage can be significantly more dangerous than driving a car. They also clearly show that taking the right safety steps, such as wearing a helmet, having eye protection and getting some professional motorcycle safety training, can help bikers travel much more safely.
If you or someone you know regularly travels by motorcycle, I urge you to share these facts with them and possibly save them from a motorcycle accident that could result in personal injury or even wrongful death.
For more free "Straight Talk Law" information, please visit my website at http://www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself.
