Factors That Lead to a Motorcycle Accident

Accidents on motorcycles can result in serious injuries and compromise quality of life for victims, leading to medical bills, lost wages and repair costs for their bikes. Victims often struggle financially due to medical costs, lost wages and vehicle repairs as a result of these events.

Head-on collisions often result when drivers merge into motorcyclists’ lanes or turn left, while rear-end accidents are a risk that should never be taken lightly and could even prove deadly.

Table of Contents

1. Road Hazards

Road hazards that would only cause minor damage to a car can be deadly for motorcycle riders. Small rocks, expansion joints, loose gravel and other roadway debris pose a significant threat that may cause them to lose control and crash into objects on the roadway.

Spilled fluids, slippery surfaces, or standing water can all cause motorcyclists to lose traction and crash their motorcycles. Deer or other large animals wandering into the road may also pose serious threats and result in fatal accidents.

People who own, rent or manage a property containing hazards have a duty to inspect it and take appropriate action if any hazards exist. Failing to do so constitutes negligence on their part; to prove such cases successfully may be complex but generally boils down to showing that the defendant owed you a duty of care that they breached by failing to take appropriate steps themselves.

2. Speed

Motorcyclists driving above the speed limit reduce their reaction times significantly, while adrenaline released by speeding can have adverse effects on perception and judgment.

Not content to just go beyond their limits, some motorcyclists engage in dangerous practices like lane splitting. Lane splitting prevents drivers from seeing them and thus increases the risk of accidents.

Drivers may fail to notice a motorcycle when turning, which is one of the leading causes of accidents involving motorcycles. Nearly half of collisions involving them take place when cars turn left in front of them – commonly referred to as “fender benders.” Many times these collisions result in severe injuries or even fatalities for riders involved, which often leads to substantial medical bills, rehabilitation expenses and lost income for these victims.

3. Alcohol

Alcohol can significantly impair a motorcyclist’s ability to balance and coordinate, leading to inability to safely maneuver a motorcycle and failure to maintain safe distance from other vehicles, road signs and traffic signals. Even small amounts can have devastating results on motorcyclists’ abilities to stay balanced and coordinated on two wheels.

Driving under the influence reduces a driver’s ability to react promptly when sudden road hazards arise, increasing their likelihood of drifting into other lanes without signaling or failing to keep a safe distance between their vehicle and motorcyclists.

If a drunk driver crashes into your motorcycle, they could be held liable for both economic and noneconomic damages, such as lost income, pain and suffering, disfigurement, consortium loss and punitive damages.

4. Road Conditions

Many factors contribute to motorcycle accidents, including road conditions. Some factors may be beyond a motorcyclist’s control – two-lane highways may put vehicles closer together than is safe; faded lines marking lanes or turns may not always be visible, and rough roadway surfaces pose additional threats that are especially hazardous for riders.

Weather plays a role, too; other motorists may fail to see motorcyclists riding in low visibility or wet conditions, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions and ejection accidents.

Drivers risk left-turn accidents by failing to check blind spots when merging or turning, and when passing or changing lanes. Furthermore, these dangers are further compounded by other roadway elements like poor drainage, uneven pavement and lane shifts.

5. Weather

Motorcycle riders are especially susceptible to weather-related accidents due to being exposed to different environmental variables, including snow and rain.

An unexpected downpour increases the risk of collision for motorcyclists by creating slippery road conditions and decreasing visibility – especially dangerous when it comes to potholes and other potential hazards hidden by puddles.

Motorcycle riders must quickly adapt to changing weather conditions by reducing speed, maintaining sufficient distance between vehicles, and exercising extreme caution. If this fails and they still get into an accident due to another driver’s negligence, then an experienced motorcycle injury attorney should be contacted immediately.