Motorcycles pose unique safety concerns (not only for motorcyclists but for everyone on the road). However, by educating yourself about the issues and concerns surrounding motorcycle accidents, you can keep the US’s roadways much safer. Here are seven important facts about motorcycle accidents that every motorist should know:
They can lead to large settlements
Motorcycle accidents are often brutal. When you’re harmed on a motorcycle due to someone else’s reckless actions or are harmed by a reckless motorcyclist, you deserve to find restitution for your pain and suffering. These lawsuits can lead to big settlements that can get victims’ lives back on track. While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact average motorcycle accident settlement, they tend to be much larger than many other types of auto accidents. The more vigilant you are about getting a motorcycle accident lawyer in the aftermath of an accident, the more effectively you’ll be able to gain a large settlement that can help you move on with your life in a dignified and financially secure fashion. If this sounds familiar, getting in touch with a Lawrenceville GA motorcycle accident attorney may be in your best interest.
Many of them happen in cities
Urban roads are host to the majority of motorcycle-involved accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has calculated that more than sixty percent of accidents involving motorcycles happen on urban roads and within city limits. For this reason, both motorists and motorcyclists must take extra precautions when driving in these often more crowded and chaotic urban environments. Doing so can save lives, and will help keep people in cities feeling safer about hopping on their motorcycles in the coming decades.
Safety gear is crucial
While many people assume motorcycle accidents are so dangerous that safety gear does not make a significant difference, this is actually a dangerous and consequential lie. Safety gear helps reduce the instance of major injuries and death in motorcycle accidents by a significant margin. Over fifty percent of those that die in motorcycle accidents failed to wear their helmets. Wearing other safety gear can prevent broken bones, irreparable scrape injuries, and other nasty injuries as well. For this reason, many states and local jurisdictions have made it a crime to ride a motorcycle without safety gear. Many of these laws only deal with helmets, but some go even further.
Motorcycle accidents are incredibly dangerous
Compared to other motorists, motorcyclists are up to thirty times more likely to die when involved in a collision or other accident. Because a person often gets thrown from a motorcycle during an accident (especially at high speeds), the chance of a major injury occurring become greatly increased. If the motorcycle hits a larger vehicle, the chance of major injury or death becomes that much higher. To keep motorcyclists safe, everyone needs to learn to care for every other driver on the road in their immediate area at all times.
Short trips are often the most dangerous
While many people think accidents tend to happen on longer trips and commutes, the opposite is actually true. Motorcycle accidents are especially commonplace during short trips and commutes. While this statistic does not have concrete reasoning driving it, many researchers suspect that drivers are simply less cautious when they know they will only be on the road for a short amount of time. To keep everyone on the roadway around you safe, you should be alert, attentive, and cautious anytime you’re behind the wheel (even if you’re simply leaving a parking lot).
Substance abuse is more common in motorcycle accidents
Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents have much higher rates of being fueled by substance abuse issues. Alcohol is especially prevalent when looking at the causes and influencing factors behind motorcycle accidents. Nearly one-third of motorcycle accidents involve some type of impairment, in fact. Alcohol is the most predominant substance to blame, but other substances are frequently involved as well. If you or a loved one are struggling with substance abuse issues, it’s important to remember that there is help out there. Gaining control over your life will improve your quality of life significantly, and keep your community much safer.
Sharing the road is essential
Nobody appreciates a roadhog. If you want to keep your roadways safer, you need to learn to share the road with everyone (including motorcyclists). Many people crowd or even agitate motorcyclists, which has contributed to the tragic statistics revolving around motorcycle-involved accidents. If we want to make the US a better place to drive in during 2023 (and beyond), we all need to learn to care for one another in a sincere and consistent fashion (especially when we’re behind the wheel).
