A motorcycle accident and a car accident are quite different for some obvious reasons. Here are some important statistics that you should consider when hopping on your bike:
Motorcycle Types
There are three primary types of motorcycles:
- Cruiser: These are the ‘American chopper’ styled two-wheelers manufactured by companies such as Harley-Davidson. If you notice, they are quite large and bulky that even an impact at low speed causes a lot of damage.
- Sports/racing bikes: These are sleek and aerodynamically-designed. They are built for speed, and are powered by engines that achieve high speed. These bikes are the ones likely to be the most involved in high-speed crashes.
- Dirt bikes: These are all-terrain bikes that are light in weight. Although not as fast as sports/racing bikes, they can still move pretty fast.
In 2014 motorcycle fatalities fell 2.3 percent to 4,586 from 4,692 in 2013. This was the second decrease in motorcyclist fatalities since 2009. In 2013, 56 out of every 100,000 registered motorcycles was involved in a fatal crash, compared with only nine out of every 100,000 passenger cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Motorcycles have a bad reputation. The few of differences between car accidents and motorcycle accidents include:
- Motorcycle accidents result 30 times as many deaths as cars;
- Only 20 percent of car accidents cause injuries or death, but this figure goes up to 80 percent in the case of motorcycles;
- Only 2 percent of all registered vehicles are motorcycles, but they are responsible for causing 5 percent of all deaths on the highway; and
- Half of all motorcycle accidents happen not on the freeway, but on city roads with lots of traffic traffic.
Many take the above statistics and conclude that motorcycles are more dangerous than cars.
Recklessly driving a motorcycle, just like recklessly driving a car, can cause serious injury or death. Of course, motorcyclists don’t have airbags, doors, and tons of metal surrounding them, which means that in a crash, motorcyclists may sustain more severe injuries. However, motorcyclists can see more, are less distracted, and can swerve from danger easier. Thus, riders are less likely to be involved in a motorcycle accident.
Tips for Riding Safely to Avoid a Motorcycle Accident
- Wear a helmet – Ohio law requires motorcycle riders who are minors and novice drivers, and also passengers of minors and novice drivers to wear helmets;
- Wear protective eye gear and protective clothing;
- Check your bike often: tires, lights, etc.;
- Watch the road and be seen by other; and
- Don’t drive recklessly.
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident, contact an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your options. To speak with one of our Cincinnati, Ohio, car accident attorneys contact the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers today.
