Motorcycle Safety: 10 Important Facts to Know from a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
Written by Cooper & Friedman PLLC on May 18, 2018
Warm weather is just around the corner and people will be out on the road riding their motorcycles in no time. It seems like the perfect time to go over the facts and figures that can help keep motorcycle enthusiasts safe while riding. Even if you prefer a vehicle with four wheels, it’s everybody’s responsibility to drive safe, watch for others, and save lives. Follow along for 10 important facts to know from a motorcycle accident attorney at Cooper and Friedman PLLC.
10 Facts About Motorcycle Safety from a Motorcycle Accident Attorney
1. According to information gathered in 2015 by the Insurance Information Institute, motorcyclists are 29 times more likely to be killed and 5 times more likely to be injured in an accident compared to passenger car occupants.
2. An estimated 75 percent of motorcycle accidents involve a collision with another vehicle such as a passenger automobile. 74 percent of these accidents involved in frontal collisions, while only 7 percent were rear collisions.
3. According to research conducted by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, motorcycle accidents cause 3 times the injuries, 6 times the medical costs, and 5 times the deaths compared with car accidents.
4. With 5,286 fatalities in 2016, motorcyclist deaths increased by 5.1 percent. This was the largest number of motorcyclist fatalities in eight years.
5. Weather is not a contributing factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents. The predominating cause is the failure of motorists to recognize and detect motorcycles while in traffic.
6. In Kentucky, motorcycle accidents account for 13 percent of total traffic fatalities. In Indiana, motorcycle accidents account for 17 percent.
7. In 2015, an estimated 88,000 motorcyclists were injured in motorcycle accidents.
8. There is an unusually high risk of fire with motorcycle accidents because of the prevalence of fuel system leaks and spills. An estimated 62% of motorcycle accidents see fuel spills in the post-crash phase.
9. The majority of female motorcycle accident fatalities are passengers. In 2015, 95 percent of the passenger deaths in motorcycle accidents were females.
10. In 2015, the largest demographic killed in motorcycle accidents were people over the age of 50.
Motorcycle crashes are more common and deadlier than accidents only involving passenger automobiles.
Most of the time, the accidents are caused by drivers of multiple passenger vehicles not seeing the motorcyclist in traffic. If you or someone you know needs help recovering losses from serious injuries acquired from a motorcycle collision or accident that occurred in the State of Kentucky or in Southern, Indiana, contact a motorcycle accident attorney at Cooper and Friedman by calling (502) 459-7555.