Motorcycles are a common way of life in Texas. With long sprawling highways and beautiful landscapes, it makes sense. However, motorcycles are also among the most vulnerable vehicles on the road in terms of accidents and fatalities.
The first step to preventing the causes of motorcycle accidents is understanding them. Here are the five primary causes of motorcycle accidents.
1. The Deadly Invisibility Problem That Claims 1.3 Lives Every Day
According to the Texas Open Data Portal, 1.3 motorcyclists die every day on Texas roads. Recent data has shown us that motorcycle fatalities occur more than 27 times more often than passenger car fatalities, making it especially important to avoid crashes altogether.
Motorcycles are often small and easily overlooked, which can lead to accidents. The Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) statewide campaign, Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles, centers other drivers in this prevention strategy to address the problem of motorcycle visibility. Though it may seem like it, motorcycles don’t “just come out of nowhere.” Environmental awareness is crucial for avoiding collisions with riders who may be hiding in your blind spot or maneuvering the roads in unexpected ways.
Beyond the rider’s effort to ride predictably and other drivers’ commitment to staying alert and aware of motorcycles sharing the road, riders can take additional precautions to support their visibility. The most current version of the Texas Motorcycle Operator’s Manual advises riders to wear protective gear that enhances visibility, such as a jacket or helmet with a bright or reflective strip that stands out.
2. ‘Failure to Yield’ Becomes a Death Sentence for Riders
Failing to yield is a common cause of collisions with motorcycles. Whether due to general inattention to the road or as a result of a rider’s limited visibility, it can occur in numerous situations. Some of the more common include:
- Left turn on a green light
- Continuing through a stop sign
- Left turn with no light or sign
- Changing lanes
- Merging on the highway
These are situations that most Texas drivers encounter every day, making them seem commonplace and possibly leading vehicle operators to take less care as they move through the streets. If you think your injuries were caused by someone else’s failure to yield, an attorney from Ligget Law Group can help you gather the necessary evidence to identify the cause.
3. The Tiny Road Defects That Can Kill a Motorcyclist (But Barely Scratch a Car)
Larger vehicles have the benefit of four tires and hefty weight when it comes to driving over poorly surfaced roads. However, for a motorcycle, this can be fatal. Riders should be aware of surface issues such as potholes, gravel, or other debris on the road. Hitting any one of these can cause the bike to lose traction and the driver to lose control.
37% of motorcycle fatalities were from single-vehicle crashes.
While a collision with another vehicle is undoubtedly dangerous, the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that 37% of motorcycle fatalities were from single-vehicle crashes.
4. How the Need for Speed Turns Freedom Into a Fatal Mistake
Many motorcycle riders say that the freedom they experience riding a bike is what they love most about it. This can lead riders to drive above the speed limit, making it harder to keep track of them. Similarly, if a larger vehicle is speeding, a motorcycle may be less able to avoid an accident or predict its own speed accurately.
When you have a collision with a vehicle going faster than the speed limit, the force exerted on your body during the accident can lead to more serious injury. For a motorcycle rider, this may mean they are thrown from the bike with greater force after impact, causing them to land with increased force, which in turn increases the severity of the injury.
5. Drunk Driving: The Dangerous Decision That Destroys 1,700 Lives Every Year
Riding a motorcycle requires a significant amount of physical and mental ability, making it all the more difficult to ride safely if you are intoxicated.
According to the IIHS report above, 1,700 motorcycle accidents involved a driver with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of more than .08.
In addition to a rider’s decreased ability to balance appropriately, alcohol can inhibit their decision-making, leading them to drive more recklessly. This may include speeding, inattention to your surroundings, or misjudging the speed or distance of other vehicles.