A Motorcycle rider’s risk of a fatal crash is 35 times greater than drivers of any other motor vehicle. A good percentage of accidents involving motorcycles are because of the other vehicle. If you or a loved one has been in a motorcycle accident contact JML law in San Francisco at 415-692-3462 or visit our website at jmllaw.com to request a free consultation.
What Can Happen
According to the CDC, 30% of non-fatal motorcycle injuries happen to the legs and feet. Head and neck injuries followed closely at 22 percent of all injuries from motorcycle accidents. Head injuries can include a concussion or even brain damage. While concussions can range from mild to severe, brain damage can be debilitating or fatal.
What Statistics Show
- Honda sold around 19.6 million motorcycles worldwide in 2018 and about 131,000 in North America
- In the U.S. 1 out of every 36 people you meet has a motorcycle.
- California is the third leading state in motorcycle deaths.
- According to the U.S. National Traffic Safety Administration 13.10 cars out of every 100,000 ended up in fatal crashes.
- The rate for motorcycles is 72.34 per 100,000 registered motorcycles.
- Left hand turns being made by other vehicles are the cause of 42% of all motorcycle accidents.
- More than 80% of all motorcycle crashes result in death or injury to the rider.
- 43% of motorcycle accidents are the results of drunk driving
- Motorcyclist fatalities are 5 percent of traffic fatalities each year.
- Motorcyclists account for over 2,100 fatalities and 56,000 injuries.
- The fatality rate per mile traveled for motorcyclists is 16 times that of car occupants, and the injury rate is about 4 times that of car occupants.
California has no law setting an age restriction for passengers on motorcycles. However, the law in California has safety restrictions including:
- All riders must wear a U.S. Department of Transportation compliant motorcycle helmet.
- Passenger seats must be securely fastened to the motorcycle behind the driver’s seat.
- Passengers must have footrests in place, which must be used while the motorcycle is in motion.
What Causes Motorcycle Accidents
The 10 most common causes of motorcycle accidents are:
- Unsafe lane changes
- Car doors
- Speeding
- Driving under the influence
- Lane splitting
- Sudden stops
- Inexperienced drivers
- Left turn accidents
Motorcycle accident fatalities in California, including San Francisco, have increased in recent years. The NHTSA claims that this increase is due to more motorcycles on the road, bigger engines, older riders, and riding while intoxicated, among other things. In many cases, the reason for the accident is careless drivers. In fact, during research conducted by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), it was found that in all motorcycle accidents occurring between motorcyclists and cars, the motorcyclist was either not at fault or less at fault than the other driver 80 percent of the time.
If you or your loved one has been in a motorcycle accident contact JML Law’s skilled litigators in San Francisco at 415-692-3462 or visit our website here to request a free consultation. We have experienced motorcycle accident attorneys who will get your accident the attention it deserves.
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