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Majority of Motorcycle Crashes Are Caused by Passenger Car Drivers
Motorcycle riders know the look – the one that passenger car drivers give them. That shake of the head as your engine revs next to them, catching them off guard. They assume that, because you ride, you are somehow reckless, or that you are bound to experience an accident, simply because you do not drive a “sensible” vehicle. Mostly, they are wrong. However, they do have one thing right: you are more likely to experience a traffic accident. Sadly, that crash will most likely be caused by another driver.
Motorcycle Riders More Likely to Experience a Crash
Ride long enough and you could probably tell a dozen or so stories about the near-misses. Incidents where another driver did not see you coming and you had to lay your bike down, slam on your brakes, or maybe even skidded out of control. If you were lucky, these were minor occurrences that did not lead to injuries beyond a few scrapes and bruises. However, there are many who are not quite as lucky.
According to estimates from the federal government, motorcycle riders are, mile for mile, 27 times more likely to suffer a fatality in a crash. They are also more likely to suffer serious injuries. This is due, in part, to the lack of “caged” protection. However, there are other factors as well. Drivers often fail to see or detect riders, and even when they do, they often miscalculate their speed or distance. Thus, there is rarely a decrease of passenger vehicle speed in the moments before a crash. If there is one, it may not be significant enough to reduce the risk of severe injury or fatality.
Passenger Vehicles and Their Role in Motorcycle Crashes
While a motorcyclist can crash on their own – possibly because of adverse weather, inexperience, or unexpected obstacles in the road – an alarming percentage of crashes are actually caused by other drivers. In fact, statistics suggest that nearly half (42 percent) of all two-vehicle crashes occur because a passenger vehicle turned left while the motorcyclist was going straight, passing, or overtaking the vehicle. In effect, the motorcyclist had the right-of-way, which was violated by the other driver.
There are, of course, many other passenger driver actions that can lead to a motorcycle crash as well: distracted driving, drunk driving, failure to follow traffic signals, and more. Whatever the case, riders and their families have the right to seek compensation when the negligence of others leads to death or serious injury. Unfortunately, because motorcyclists are often seen as “rebels” and are often misrepresented in personal injury cases, they should always seek assistance from a skilled attorney.
At Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP we fight aggressively to protect the rights of riders who have been injured by negligent drivers. Backed by more than 40 years of experience, our Milwaukee, Wisconsin motorcycle accident injury attorneys provide skilled advocacy and always pursue the most compensation possible. Get the representation you deserve today. Call 4141-271-1440 and schedule a consultation today.
Sources:
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/motorcycles/fatalityfacts/motorcycles
http://isddc.dot.gov/OLPFiles/NHTSA/013695.pdf
