Motorcycle Safety

Ah motorcycles. That form of transportation that your mother warned you about, the preferred vehicle of all tough Americans. Motorcycles are almost as much of a personality statement as they are a mode of transportation.

But there is a reason why your mother warned you against motorcyles: they can be very dangerous if not handled properly. It makes sense- motorcycle riders are not protected from the impact of another vehicle like car riders are, so the force of an impact has nowhere to go but to the person on the motorcycle. In fact, per mile, motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to die in a car crash than car passengers. In 2006, there were almost 5,000 motorcycle fatalities reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 25% of these fatalities occured because the motorcycle driver crashed into a fixed object, like a light pole or wall. Contrary to popular belief, foul weather is not usually a contributing factor to motorcycle accidents.

What can car and motorcycle drivers do to prevent more needless deaths?

One way is for motorcycle drivers to wear helmets. This may seem cliche, but study after study supports the fact that helmets save thousands of lives. One study says that out of every 100 motorcyle deaths, 37 could have been prevented if the driver had been wearing a helmet. Speeding is also an important factor in motorcycle deaths, as a person is much more likely to survive an impact from a slower speed than a faster one. Also, it is important that motorcycle drivers learn basic "collision avoidance strategies", like how to swerve out of the path of a car without losing control of the vehicle.

But many studies support the idea that it is really the responsibility of the car drivers around a motorcycle to be careful and attentive. One important study on motorcycle safety concluded that "The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents". This means that car drivers need to always pay attention to their surroundings, to ensure that they don't accidentally collide with a small motorcycle.

Motorcycles can provide an enjoyable travel experience, but that pleasure comes with a price. No matter if you drive a motorcycle or car, it is so important to be a defensive and safe driver on the road.

BUCKFIRE & BUCKFIRE, P.C. is a Michigan personal injury law firm and is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time of the posting of the article. The information contained in this article is from online news sources and any perceived misstatements should be attributed to those sources as we did not complete any investigation of the accident. If you believe that the information is inaccurate and would like it changed or would like this post completely removed from the site, please let us know and we will do our best to promptly accommodate your request. We are very sensitive to these requests.

If you were involved in this accident or a similar accident and have questions about your legal rights and options, it is important that you contact a reputable law firm. Please make sure that any Michigan law firm that you contact has significant experience in handling these types of accident and injury cases and has an excellent track record of successful settlements and jury verdicts. We also suggest that the attorney you contact provides you with a free initial consultation.