7 Most Frequent Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

Current statistics show that Californians sustained over 9,000 injuries and 411 fatalities in motorcycle accidents in one year. Motorcycles are becoming increasingly more popular and so accident rates are likely to continue to climb. Visibility is a key issue in preventing collisions with motorcycles. Below are seven of the most common causes of a collision between a motorcycle and a car or truck.

1. Lane splitting—this is when a motorcycle rides between two lanes of traffic heading in the same direction, usually when there’s a traffic slowdown.
2. Making a left turn—when this occurs at an intersection it can be difficult for a car to see a motorcycle making the turn, especially if either vehicle is going too fast.
3. Failure to check blind spots—again, this can happen to either the driver of a car or a motorcycle. It’s particularly important to double-check when changing lanes.
4. Dooring—when a motorist fails to check the rear-view mirror before opening the door of their parked car and a motorcyclist crashes into the door.
5. Impaired driving—the use of alcohol or drugs slows reaction time and impedes any driver’s ability to fully take in what’s going on around them.
6. Speeding—if one or both drivers are traveling at a high speed both the likelihood and severity of the impact increase dramatically. This also makes it more difficult to maintain control or make an adjustment in the case of construction or other hazards and can cause a head-on collision with another vehicle or object.
7. Distracted driving—this entails anything that takes your focus off the road—whether it’s doing something else like texting, eating, fiddling with the radio, or even talking on a hands-free device if the conversation is distracting or intense.

Slowing down and leaving plenty of extra room between motorcycles and other vehicles can go a long way to keep you out of a motorcycle crash.

Have you or a loved one been a victim of a DUI, car, truck, or motorcycle accident, dog attack, or a slip and fall incident? If so, Tiemann Law Firm can help. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free, same-day consultation by calling: (916) 999-9000 or toll-free: (800) 712-2000.