Causes and dangers of motorcycle accidents

Motorcycles can be very dangerous when a rider has limited protection. Helmets can save lives in some situations, but motorcyclists are still reportedly 35 times more likely to perish in a traffic accident than people in cars. Riders without a helmet are 40 percent more likely than ones without to die of a head injury during an accident.

According to a 2009 report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, over half of fatal motorcycle accidents involve another vehicles. The report also shows that about 42 percent of motorcycle accidents involving just one other vehicle occur when the driver turns left in front of a motorcycle. In single-vehicle motorcycle accidents, 48 percent of the riders were speeding at the time of the accident, and 42 percent had a blood alcohol concentration above the legal limit.

Motorcycle accidents can also result from drivers splitting lanes or driving on the wrong side of the road, and distractions or obstructions could prevent drivers from seeing a motorcycle. Some rare cases could even involve intentional actions by other drivers meant to injure the motorcyclist.

Any Massachusetts rider injured in a motorcycle accident through the fault of another could file a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver in the accident. The injured rider may be able to receive compensation for damages including hospital bills, pain and suffering and loss of income. In many of these cases, the long-term hospital care bills could become very expensive, and an attorney may be able to help the rider receive enough monetary compensation to cover these expenses as well.

Source: Motorcycleaccident.org, Motorcycle Accident Statistics And Possible Causes”, October 17, 2014