Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Collisions, both single-vehicle and multi-vehicle, cause the vast majority of all motorcycle-related injuries. And like all traffic crashes, responsibility for the crash can almost always be traced to negligent decisions by one or more of the drivers and riders involved. In fact, there’s evidence showing that 50 percent of all motorcycle accidents are caused by another motorist, usually the driver of a passenger vehicle. That statistic comes from the Hurt Report, the most comprehensive study to date of United States motorcycle accidents and their causes. That report concluded that the number-one cause of motorcycle accidents in America is drivers’ failure to see motorcycles -- something experienced motorcyclists know firsthand.

The Hurt Report found that three-fourths of all motorcycle crashes are multiple-vehicle crashes; only one-fourth were single-vehicle crashes in which the motorcyclist struck an object, the road or a person. And among the multi-vehicle crashes, the report found that two-thirds (one-half of all motorcycle crashes) were caused by the driver of the other vehicle, usually a passenger car, who violated the motorcycle’s right of way. The report said the most common scenario for such an accident was at an intersection, when a motorcycle is proceeding straight and the passenger vehicle illegally makes a left turn into the motorcyclist. As bikers know, visibility is a major factor, with one motorist’s view impaired by glare or other vehicles in almost half of all multi-vehicle accidents in the study.

Among single-vehicle motorcycle crashes, the study found that rider error was responsible for about two-thirds of cases. The rider error was most often excess speed or turning corners incorrectly, leading to overly wide turns and over-braking that caused the biker to fall and slide. Other significant conclusions by the Hurt Report include:

Most accidents took place on a short, recreational trip, within a few minutes of setting off.

Most of the accidents took place at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour.

Almost no motorcycle accident is injury-free; just 2 percent of multi-vehicle and 4 percent of single-vehicle accident victims walked away unhurt. In fact, 45 percent of collisions resulted in an injury that was more than minor.

Riders who used headlights during the day and added brightly colored and reflective jackets significantly reduced their chance of an accident.

Defects of the motorcycle or one of its parts very rarely caused an accident. However, the study found defects that led to fuel leaks after 62 percent of the accidents, which created a significant risk of an avoidable and potentially deadly fire.

Weather, road conditions, animals and driver hostility were all very rare causes of crashes, each accounting for fewer than 3 percent of the crashes studied.

Demographic groups who are overrepresented in accidents compared to their proportion of riders include riders under 24; female riders; those with previous accidents or tickets; those with little or no motorcycle training and experience; and those who earn less money. Alcohol consumption by a driver or rider was a factor in almost half of crashes.

More recent data, compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Foundation for 2005, paints a similar picture. That study looked at where the initial impact to the motorcycle was in fatal, injury and property-damage-only accidents. It found that multi-vehicle accidents accounted for the majority, 48.7 percent, of all motorbike accidents. Of those, 26.8 percent had the first impact at the front of the bike. Collisions with a fixed object were rare but deadly; they accounted for just 8.8 percent of all motorcycle accidents but 26 percent of fatalities. And surprisingly, noncollision crashes -- a category that includes harmful motorbike situations like tipping over, falling off the bike or a defect that causes the bike to catch fire -- were the second most common type of motorcycle accidents in 2005, at 38.6 percent of all accidents. They also caused 44.7 percent of injury-only accidents, making them even more likely to cause an injury than multi-vehicle crashes (41.7 percent of injury-only crashes).

Rarer types of collision identified by the NHTSA included:

Those where the initial impact was to the left side of the bike. These accounted for 6.9 percent of fatal crashes and 11.1 percent of injury-only crashes.

Right behind were right-side impacts, with 5.8 percent of deaths and 10.3 percent of injuries.

Rear-end crashes, which were the rarest, but still accounted for 4 percent of fatal crashes and 5.6 percent of injury crashes.

A rider hitting a pedestrian caused a death or injury very rarely, with 0.7 percent of the fatalities caused this way, and only 0.5 percent of the injuries.

Bisnar | Chase has represented motorcycle accident victims and other auto accident victims since 1978. We have a long and proud history of aggressively seeking justice for our clients. Our motorcycle lawsuit results include $3 million for a motorcyclist struck by a negligent beer salesman on the job, who had been told by his previous attorney that his case was worth only $15,000. In another case, we won a significant confidential settlement against Yamaha for the wrongful death case of a rider whose throttle stuck while fully open during a legal, sanctioned dirtbike stadium race.

Because Bisnar | Chase has been working with injured motorcycle and auto accident victims for decades, we have the expertise to help you evaluate the unique circumstances of your accident, the value of your case and whether to file. Because we know accident victims often must struggle with radically changed lives, serious injuries, steep bills and lost income, we always offer case evaluations at no charge and with no further obligation on your part. And if we take your case, we promise to take no fee until we win it for you. But you should move quickly; the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit can be as short as six months. Call us today for your free consultation at 1-866-889-2775 or click here to fill out our case evaluation form online.