subject: Motorcycle Accident Statistics Suggest High Rate of Personal Injury [print this page] In 2006, a comprehensive study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, found that approximately 4,935 people were killed in crashes involving motorcycles across the United States. Nearly three-fourths of the accidents studied revealed that they were a result of a collision of the motorcycle with another vehicle, most typically a passenger car. Most motorcycle accidents that involve another vehicle are caused by the driver of the passenger car's failure to see a motorcycle rider until it was too late or the driver's failure to acknowledge the motorcyclist's right-of-way. Interestingly, the study also found that the weather was not a factor in these accidents 98% of the time. The conclusions of this study suggest that motorcycle riding is an inherently risky pursuit, particularly because of a tendency among passenger car drivers to not see motorcycles immediately before a collision, and that motorcycle riding should therefore be approached with great caution.
Even when motorcycle accidents do not result in a fatality, they can still cause severe personal injury. Head trauma is the most commonly occurring injury resulting from motorcycle accidents. According to statistics, per mile traveled, a motorcyclist is three times more likely to be injured on the road than the driver of a passenger car. Personal injury suffered as the result of a motorcycle accident may mean that the injured party must miss time at work or be otherwise unable to support their family for an extended period of time. Not only that, but such personal injuries also can result in astronomical medical bills that may not all be covered by insurance. Personal injury of this magnitude may result in emotional trauma, the need for long term rehabilitative care, and loss of income.
Many individuals who have suffered personal injury in the wake of a motorcycle accident find that their insurance company refuses to pay for the bulk of their medical and other expenses. When this happens, these people have little recourse but to seek the advice of competent personal injury counsel. Such a professional, backed by years of experience fighting for the rights of clients in the legal system, can successfully take on insurance companies, the at-fault driver who caused the accident, and any other defendant to ensure that such issues resulting from personal injury are addressed. This article in no way constitutes legal advice; however, it is helpful for motorcyclists to be aware of the risks they face and the avenues that are available to them for protecting their assets, preserving the welfare of their family, and getting their life back to normal in the aftermath of a motorcycle accident.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics Suggest High Rate of Personal Injury
