How Often Do Cars Cause Motorcycle Accidents?
How many motorcycle accidents are caused by cars can vary depending on the precise cause of the accident. Certain causal behaviors are more common among drivers than among motorcyclists, such as:
- Engaging in general unsafe behavior
- Failing to check for oncoming traffic before moving forward
- Failing to notice potential dangers in the roadway
How Cars Cause Motorcycle Accidents
The short answer is that negligence is how motorcycle accidents are caused by cars. Consider the following examples:
- The driver is impatient to get where they are going, so they increase their speed and start weaving between lanes without signaling.
- The driver makes a left turn at an intersection without bothering to look behind them or in their mirrors to see if anyone else is coming toward them.
- The driver is too busy looking at their cell phone to notice a speed bump just ahead of them. They take the bump too fast and lose control.
Motorcyclists could be at special risk when drivers engage in these types of behaviors. Motorcycles are much smaller than other vehicles, so it is easier for drivers to miss them if they are not paying full attention to the road.
How Drivers Can Prevent Motorcycle Accidents
It is easy to prevent motorcycle accidents caused by cars. All the driver has to do is:
- Pay attention to the road and obey traffic laws
- Be aware that motorcycles could be present
- Give motorcyclists enough space to maneuver safely
If a driver fails to respect motorcyclists’ right to use the road, the motorcyclist could hold them legally liable for any injuries or damage the driver causes.
Protecting Yourself From Reckless Drivers
It is not your fault if a driver decides to behave carelessly and puts you in danger. You can protect yourself from these negligent individuals by:
- Wearing a high-quality, well-fitted helmet
- Wearing protective, reflective clothing
- Keeping your motorcycle in good shape so it can maneuver quickly if you need to take swift action to avoid danger
- Giving a wide berth to drivers who are not behaving responsibly
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents?
Motorcycle accident rates vary from state to state. They tend to be more common in states with year-round mild weather. As an example, Florida, per Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), saw over 9,000 motorcycle accidents in 2022.
Motorcycle accidents represent a disproportionately large number of traffic injuries and fatalities in the United States. As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports:
- Fourteen percent of all traffic fatalities in 2021 were motorcyclists.
- Motorcyclists are “about 24 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash.”
- Motorcyclists are also four times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to sustain an injury in a crash.
These high injury and fatality rates represent the fact that cars are larger and heavier than motorcycles and that motorcyclists, even those who wear helmets, inherently have less protection than car occupants. For these reasons, when car drivers exhibit negligent behavior, they are putting motorcyclists at considerable risk of harm.
When a Car Causes a Motorcycle Accident, What Should You Do?
Your first step following a Miami motorcycle accident lawyer, no matter who caused it, should be to think about your safety. This means moving out of the line of traffic and calling 911.
If possible, you should also talk to the driver and get their:
- Name
- Contact information
- Insurance information
These details can make it easier to find the driver again later and to ask for compensation from their insurance company. If you cannot get this information at the scene, do not worry: there are other ways to track down an at-fault driver.
One way to get this information—and to make sure your entire case runs as smoothly as possible—is to hire legal representation. A fort laudrdalue motorcycle accident lawyer:
- Knows all of the relevant laws in Florida and how they affect your rights
- Has experience with conducting an investigation and locating evidence of both how your crash happened and how much money you deserve to collect
- Can fight hard to protect your rights and secure a fair settlement from the driver’s insurance company
- Can go to court on your behalf, if you decide it is better to seek a jury award than a settlement
- Would be able to manage all of the paperwork your case generates, saving you from having to fill out forms or interpret communications from the other parties
Who Caused Your Motorcycle Accident?
The Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato can investigate your crash to figure out who is responsible and how much compensation they may owe you. Get started with a free review. We can explain more about how many motorcycle accidents are caused by cars and what you can do after an accident. So contact us (954) 633-8270 to start a free case review.
