According to the Insurance Information Institute, motorcycles are far less crashworthy than closed vehicles. They are also less visible to other drivers and pedestrians and less stable than four-wheeled vehicles. Motorcycles have a smaller body than cars, making them easier for other drivers to miss on the road. As such, the main cause of motorcycle accidents is the failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic.
Why Are Motorcycles So Hard To See?
It can be very difficult to determine if a driver responsible for a crash with a bike was being careless or if actual visual problems caused or contributed to the accident. But before an accident even occurs, it is helpful to understand the visual problems that exist when it comes to motorcycles so that both motorcyclists and drivers of other vehicles can try to avoid collisions.
- Size: Motorcycles are smaller than cars and trucks and can more easily become obscured in traffic
- Lighting: Many motorcycles have only one headlight instead of two or more
- Blind Spots: Motorcycles can easily slip in and out of another vehicle’s blind spots without knowing it
- Weather: Bad weather can make bikes harder to see
- Acceleration: Motorcycles can accelerate much more quickly than most vehicles allowing them to appear somewhat unexpectedly or without even being seen by other drivers, and they can change course suddenly
- Lane Changes: Bikers change lanes more frequently than other drivers
- Atypical: Drivers are mentally trained to look out for other cars and trucks and the like but not as conditioned to “see” motorcycles – also known as inattentional blindness
- Tunnel Vision: Drivers often tend to stare ahead and get lost in the monotony of driving, developing tunnel vision, which would prevent them from noticing a motorcycle in their periphery.
Motorcycle Accident Injuries
Whether you’re a motorcyclist or an automobile driver, you can avoid accidents by making intelligent driving decisions; however, even when you take the necessary precautions, crashes may still occur. Motorcycle accident injuries can be catastrophic. When a motorcycle is involved in a traffic accident, there is a greater likelihood of the rider dying than in crashes between other types of vehicles. In fact, motorcycle riders are overrepresented in traffic fatalities because of the extreme nature of the injuries sustained. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fatality rate for motorcycles is 27 times higher when compared to passenger cars.
Common motorcycle accident injuries include:
- Biker’s arm
- Facial injuries
- Fractures
- Internal injuries
- Lower extremity injuries
- Road rash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Thorax injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
Injured in a Motorcycle Accident? Contact Our Texas Law Firm for a Free Consultation.
If you or a loved one was injured due to the negligence of another driver, contact our experienced motorcycle accident lawyer John T. Flood for a free consultation. You may be entitled to compensation. The team at Flood Trial Lawyers has the experience and knowledge needed to successfully advocate on your behalf. We offer free consultations, so contact us today to discuss your case.