Causes of Motorcycle Injuries

Study after study shows that the vast majority of motorcycle injuries are caused by a traffic crash. It makes sense -- informed motorcyclists know they’re at higher risk for injuries per mile traveled than drivers are, thanks to their greater vulnerability in the event of an accident. Even if a collision between a motorcycle and an automobile is the fault of the driver, the rider is still much more likely to be killed or seriously injured.

The Hurt Report, a seminal study by the University of Southern California, found a wealth of information on what causes motorcycle injuries. Confirming what experienced riders already know, the report said drivers’ failure to see motorcyclists in traffic was the number-one cause of motorcycle accidents. The most common cause of an injury or death was a multi-vehicle crash, which accounted for three-fourths of all crashes. The vehicle motorcyclists most often collided with was a passenger automobile. Among multi-vehicle accidents, two-thirds were caused when another vehicle violated the motorcycle’s right of way. The most frequent accident configuration was a driver turning left in front of an oncoming bike. The most common place for a multi-vehicle accident was an intersection, the study said, with drivers often violating traffic controls.

Only one-fourth of the injuries the Hurt Report studied were the result of single-vehicle crashes caused by the bike colliding with the roadway or another object. Among those single-vehicle crashes, only two-thirds were caused by rider error. The most common such errors were overbraking and turning too widely in a curve, due to bad cornering or too much speed, leading to a fall and “slideout.”

Among the report’s other findings:

• Motorists’ view of the rider was limited by glare or other vehicles in almost half of all multi-vehicle accidents.


• Use by riders of headlights during the daytime and bright clothing cut down on accidents significantly.


• While motorcycles with bigger engines had less than their proportion of crashes, they tended to be involved in more severe accidents when they did crash.

Data published in 2005 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tells a similar story. That year, a motorcyclist was equally likely to be injured in a single-vehicle crash as in a multiple-vehicle crash, with 50% of accidents belonging to each type. And riders were only slightly more likely to die in a multi-vehicle accident; 43.3 percent of motorcycle accident fatalities were single-vehicle crashes, and the other 56.7 were multi-vehicle crashes. Among both single- and multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents, the initial impact was almost always to the front of the bike. And a front impact was more likely to kill the rider; there was such an impact in 66.2 percent of fatal crashes and 37.8 percent of injury crashes. However, the next most common type of crash that caused both deaths and injuries was a noncollision crash -- in which the initial harm came not from another vehicle or an object, but from a situation like falling off the bike, tipping it over or the bike and rider catching fire. Noncollision crashes accounted for 9.3 percent of fatal crashes and a surprising 34.9 percent of injury crashes.

Irresponsible riding is another cause of motorcycle injuries. Studies consistently show that riders who don’t wear helmets or other protective gear die and are injured more often than those who do. The Department of Transportation’s 2005 accident figures show that 42 percent of riders and 50 percent of their passengers weren’t wearing helmets during fatal accidents. The study also showed that a rider was speeding in 34 percent of that year’s motorcycle fatalities; that 24 percent of those killed did not have a valid license; and that 27 percent of fatally injured riders had a blood-alcohol concentration above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

And motorcycle part or roadway defects, while they may be a rare cause of motorcycle accidents, are often the most devastating for the riders who were doing everything they could to stay safe. The Hurt Report said that defective or failed bike parts caused very few of the injuries in the study, only about three percent. Most of those were flat tires that caused riders to lose control; the report said many equipment failures could have been prevented with better maintenance. However, after a crash, fuel system leaks and spills were present in 62 percent of cases, something the report said was an undue hazard. Defects in public roads were also a rare cause of accidents in the report, causing just two percent. But when highways and byways are poorly designed and maintained, have unacceptably poor drainage or are missing signs, motorcyclists are most often the losers. Bikers, like all taxpayers and American citizens, have the right to safe, well-maintained public roads.

Legally speaking, motorcycle accident injuries aren’t just limited to a painful physical injury or wrongful death, although these are among the most severe injuries. The rider and his or her family will also suffer financial injuries -- repair bills for a damaged or destroyed bike, hospital bills, lost earnings from missing work, and other costs incurred by the accident. Riders may also be entitled to damages that compensate them for the intangible loss of quality of life that pain and suffering, a disability or a loved one’s death can cause. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney can look at your unique case and help you decide which of these apply to your accident.

Bisnar | Chase has aggressively represented thousands of motorcycle crash victims in California and Nevada, since 1978. We have decades of experience in motorcycle accidents and auto accidents; we know the unique circumstances and results of motorcycle crashes and can use that experience to get you the best possible results in court. Our victories include a $3 million settlement for a rider who was originally told his case was worth only $15,000.

Motorcycle crashes cause deaths, brain damage, broken bones and permanent disabilities. If you or someone you love is living with a life-changing motorcycle crash caused by someone else’s negligent driving, you have the right to hold that person responsible and collect damages for your injuries, medical bills and loss of quality of life. For a free, no-obligation consultation with the experienced motorcycle accident attorneys at Bisnar | Chase, call us today at 1-866-889-2775 or click here to fill out our free case evaluation form online.