Risk factors at play in motorcycle accidents

With the summer rapidly coming to a close, now is the time for motorcycle enthusiasts to hit the road and log some miles. But, with those extra miles will unfortunately come the extra risk of motorcycle accidents. The first step in minimizing those accidents is to understand common risk factors.

The biggest risk to motorcyclists is other vehicles. Indeed, about three in four motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle, usually a passenger automobile. In about two-thirds of these accidents the accident happened because the vehicle violated the motorcyclist’s right of way. These violations, in turn, were primarily because the drivers of these vehicles simply did not see the motorcyclist or saw them after it was too late to avoid the collision.

The second biggest risk to motorcyclists is themselves. Roughly one quarter of motorcycle accident are single-vehicle accidents. Of these, about two-thirds were because of rider error, such as going through a corner too fast or under-corning, leading to sliding out or falling.

Other risk factors exist, but they are relatively minor. For example, less than 3 percent of motorcycle accidents were caused by vehicle failure, and most of these instances were because of punctured tires. Similarly, poor road conditions represented the cause of 2 percent of motorcycle accidents, while animals contributed to less than 1 percent.

Washington residents who are injured in a motorcycle accident, or their loved ones, may benefit from getting more information about their legal options. Doing so could be the first step towards not only holding the responsible party accountable, but also recovering compensation that is needed and deserved to help get through a difficult time.

Source: clarity.net, “The Hurt Report,” Accessed Aug. 2, 2016

Matthew D. Dubin

Matt Dubin has spent more than 20 years honing his skills as one of the top personal injury lawyers in the State of Washington. In his career, Matt has focused on protecting consumers from dangerous household products, medical mistakes, roadway accidents, and many other causes of injury. Matt has recovered nearly $20 million on behalf of his clients.

Education

• University of Washington School of Law, Seattle, Washington – J.D.
• Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut – B.A.

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