Motorcycle Accidents

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

More people are riding motorcycles these days than ever before for a variety of reasons. There is no indication that this trend will reverse any time soon. As a result, people in passenger vehicles and trucks must contend with more motorcycles on the nation’s highways and roads. This means looking out for them even more than they used to. Unfortunately, a rise in motorcycles on the road also means a rise in motorcycle accidents.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a motorcycle accident, please contact an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to find out if you will receive compensation for your pain and suffering.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that motorcycle rider fatalities have increased every year since 1997. In most of the last several years, motorcycle fatalities have been higher than the number of motorcycle registrations. The NHTSA has also discovered that both the size of the motorcycle involved in accidents and the age of the injured rider are increasing every year, but those who are between the ages of 20 and 29 years have continually been the most likely to be involved in a motorcycle accident and injured or killed.
 
Some statistics from the NHTSA (2006) show:

• Motorcyclists are eight times more likely to be injured and 35 times more likely to die than occupants in passenger cars
• Three percent of all registered motorists on the road ride motorcycles, but make up eight percent of all traffic fatalities
• 72% of motorcycle accidents ended with fatalities
• 25% of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were not driving with a valid license
• 4,810 motorcyclists were killed
• 88,000 motorcyclists were injured

The nation has also recently seen a spate of motorcycle accidents involving military personnel who have recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. As these young people have money to burn, they buy big sports bike with only a passing idea of how to ride them. Add the element of speed for the adrenaline rush they may be seeking and you have a recipe for a tragedy. In fact, some of the most common causes for motorcycle accidents include:

• Inexperience
• Speed
• Alcohol
• Not wearing a helmet

Sometimes all four of these factors play out in a motorcycle accident. But sometimes it is the condition of the road or highway, the weather, time of day, or another vehicle that is to blame. Motorcycles are small and fast making them sometimes difficult to see. Failing to yield, change lanes, weaving, or other dangerous driving behavior can also be to blame.