What causes motorcycle accidents? Experienced riders as well as transportation statisticians will tell you the same thing: automobile drivers often simply fail to "see" motorcyclists. In fact, the advice of some riders is "Assume that you are invisible to other motorists and operate your motorcycle accordingly."
The statistics bear this out. According to a landmark Department of Transportation motorcycle safety study known as the Hurt Report, three-quarters of all motorcycle accidents involved a collision with another vehicle, most often a passenger car. The other vehicle often reported it did not see the motorcycle-or could not see it in time to avoid the accident. Accidents involving cars were much more prevalent in the study than other causes, such as vehicle failure (less than three percent of all accidents studied) or roadway defects (two percent of all accidents studied).
Although accidents at high speeds on highways carry great risk, they are a relatively rare occurrence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 90 percent of two-vehicle motorcycle accidents occur on non-interstate roads, and approximately 70 percent of all motorcycle accidents occur at intersections.
Among the most common intersection accidents are oncoming cars making left turns into a motorcycle, and cars going in the same direction making right turns into a motorcycle. Therefore, motorcycle riders should be especially cautious at intersections on non-interstate roads and drive defensively.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a motorcycle accident, speak to an experienced motorcycle accident attorney who can advise you of potential claims and advocate on your behalf.
