Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

By Mitchell Proner

Published on November 13, 2010

Motorcycle accidents are far more likely than car or truck accidents to result in a serious injury or death. This is because motorcyclists are afforded little in the way of external protection. Even helmets and other protective gear can provide only minimal safeguarding in the event of a collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle. As recently as 2007, more than 5,000 motorcyclists were killed in accidents according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

All motorcycle accidents have the potential to cause great damage, whatever the cause. Among the most common causes of motorcycle accidents are:

• Collisions with cars, trucks, and other passenger vehicles - Around 75 percent of all motorcycle accidents involve collisions with passenger vehicles, with the majority of those accidents being the fault of inattentive drivers. Many drivers of cars, trucks, vans, and other passenger vehicles forget that they are sharing the road with motorcyclists and fail to be properly vigilant when changing lanes, making turns, and performing other maneuvers with their vehicles.
• Defective roads - Potholes, uneven pavement, cracks, and other flaws in roads can cause motorcycles to become unbalanced and possibly crash.
• Bad weather - All vehicles become more vulnerable to crashing during rain and snow storms and on icy roads; however, motorcycles, having only two wheels, are even more vulnerable.
• "Lane splitting" - Many motorcyclists share at least some responsibility for accidents by engaging in the legal but questionable practice of "lane splitting," or entering a lane occupied by another vehicle in order to pass slow-moving traffic. Illegal instances of lane splitting are even more dangerous and often lead to catastrophe.

If you or a member of your family has been involved in a motorcycle accident that was not your fault, an experienced motorcycle accident and personal injury attorney may be able to obtain compensation for your injuries on your behalf.  Contact Mitchell Proner, a premier motorcycle accident attorney in Manhattan, New York, for an evaluation of your case.

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