Over 5000 motorcyclists died in motorcycle accidents in 2017. This means that people riding motorcycles were 27 times more likely than people riding in passenger cars to die in a car crash during this year.
Riding motorcycles can be an exhilarating hobby that comes along with some mental and physical benefits. That being said, fatal motorcycle accidents are all too common.
If you are considering getting a motorcycle, it might be wise to familiarize yourself with the most common causes of deadly motorcycle accidents.
Let’s take a look at the five most common causes of motorcycle deaths.
1. Inexperience
Sadly, motorcycle accident statistics point to the reality that one of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is inexperience. It’s important that motorcycle riders spend dozens of hours training so that they are able to deal with any circumstance that arises on the road. They should learn how to gauge conditions, operate the motorcycle, and respond to a variety of situations.
It is all too common for people to ride motorcycles out on the road before they have the experience necessary to do so safely. In fact, 29% of all motorcycle fatalities involved people who did not have a valid motorcycle license.
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident, you might be left with substantial medical bills, painful injuries, and a damaged bike. If this is the case, you might want to look into whether or not contacting motorcycle crash attorneys would be the right move for you.
2. Alcohol
In order to safely ride a motorcycle, you need to have fast reflexes. Even drinking just one alcoholic beverage can reduce an individual’s reaction time.
In 2018, 26% of crash fatalities including multiple vehicles involved motorcyclists that had a BAC over the legal limit.
Additionally, out of all of the single-vehicle motorcycle fatalities in the same year, 40% of them involved alcohol.
3. Left-Hand Turns
Motorcycles tend to be more difficult to see than passenger vehicles. Unfortunately, many drivers are not cautious enough about looking for motorcycles before they turn left. For this reason, 42% of fatal cases involved a motorcycle and a number vehicle occurred when the motorcyclists were traveling straight ahead, overtaking another vehicle, or passing.
4. Speeding
Riding at excessive rates of speed does not just mean driving faster than the posted speed limit. While it can refer to this, can also refer to when individuals are traveling too fast for the weather and road conditions.
There are a number of conditions that could reduce visibility or make it necessary to drive slower than the posted speed limit. Unfortunately, many motorcycle accidents are caused every year due to speeding.
The faster an individual is driving, the more of an impact they will experience and therefore the more severe the consequences will be
5. Inattentive Driving
No matter whether you are driving a passenger car or writing a vehicle, it’s important to be attentive at all times while traveling on roadways. It happens both ways commonly, where a vehicle driver is distracted and hits a motorcyclist and when a motorcyclist is distracted and hits another type of vehicle.
Other Causes of Deadly Motorcycle Accidents
These are not the only causes of motorcycle deaths, there are several other relatively common causes that you will want to familiarize yourself with.
One common cause of accidents involving motorcycles is when a car makes an unsafe lane change. If a driver does not check their blind spot or signal ahead of switching lanes, they risk hitting a motorcyclist.
Another common cause is car doors. When vehicles are parked along a road and the driver does not look in their mirror to ensure that no one is coming, they can open their door right into a traveling motorcycle.
Lane splitting is also something that can lead to accidents. In some states, this practice is not legal, however, that does not mean that individuals do not engage in it. Lane splitting refers to one someone is driving between two lanes of traffic.
Dangerous road conditions can also lead to a motorcycle losing control and crashing. This could mean potholes, crumbling pavement, degree, and a lack of communicative signs and signals.
It can also occur that an accident happened due to motorcycle defects. If the motorcycle is composed of a part or parts that was poorly manufactured or designed, it could lead to a crash. In this instance, the manufacturer can be held liable for deaths or injuries that come about due to the defective product.
Lastly, motorcycle accidents can also occur when a motorcyclist comes to an abrupt stop. If the car behind them is not paying attention or is following too closely, this can cause serious injury or even death to the individual riding a motorcycle. It can also happen the other way around, if a motorcyclist is not being attentive and rear-ended a driver from behind.
Educate Yourself About the Causes of Deadly Motorcycle Accidents So You Know How to Avoid Them Yourself
Learning about what causes most fatal motorcycle accidents can help you to avoid similar outcomes in the future. While this topic is grim, a silver lining is that many of these causes are preventable.
It’s important to become experience before riding, avoid drinking alcohol when you’re going to be writing your motorcycle, travel at a reasonable speed, and remain attentive at all times.
Did you find this article on deadly motorcycle accidents helpful? If so, be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more fascinating and informative content!