What is the Main Reason For Motorcycle Accidents?
When it comes to motorcycle accidents, speeding is the leading cause. 33 percent of fatal accidents involve speeding. Regular cars and light trucks are also responsible for a high percentage of fatal motorcycle crashes. Another reason for the high fatal motorcycle accident rate is the difficulty of riding a motorcycle.
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Intoxicated driving
A recent study indicates that one-quarter of all motorcycle crashes involve an intoxicated driver. Those drivers have a blood-alcohol level of.08 or higher at the time of the collision. Additionally, two-thirds of these accidents involve intoxicated drivers on the weekend. The consequences of intoxicated driving are catastrophic. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself and your loved ones.
There are a variety of distractions that can increase your risk of an accident. Distractions from driving include visual, manual, and multitasking. A common example of a distraction is texting while driving. Any distraction increases your risk of a crash. Intoxicated drivers are also more likely to cause a head-on collision, which is the deadliest type of motorcycle accident.
Lack of training
Motorcycle accidents often occur because riders are not properly trained to ride a motorcycle. Lack of training is the main cause of almost one-third of motorcycle fatalities. According to a study from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, unlicensed riders are 3.4 times more likely to be injured in a crash than licensed riders. This is especially true of people who are under forty years old and ride at night. Additionally, most of these unlicensed riders are not properly trained to operate a motorcycle.
Motorcycle accidents are also expensive. The average motorcycle owner loses over $5,000 per crash due to injuries and property damage. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcycle crashes result in 38.7% of fatalities and over $4 million in damage each year. Fortunately, most of these crashes can be avoided if motorcycle riders take safety classes. Despite the high risk of fatality, motorcycle owners should still make an effort to ensure that their riders wear a helmet.
Road conditions
Motorcycle accidents occur for several reasons, but one of the most common causes is poor road conditions. These are often caused by construction, poor maintenance, and other factors that make the roads dangerous for drivers and motorcyclists alike. Poor road conditions can lead to catastrophic crashes. Poor road conditions also affect the motorcycle’s stopping distance, maneuverability, and safety. In addition, if the road is uneven, a motorcycle may not have the ability to stop in time to avoid an obstacle or crash.
Another common cause of motorcycle accidents is distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,142 people died in traffic accidents each year because of distracted driving. In the majority of cases, the driver of the other vehicle is at fault, but sometimes, a motorcyclist is partially to blame for the accident.
Speeding
Speeding is one of the biggest contributors to motorcycle accidents. It accounts for almost a third of all accidents, and it’s responsible for more than half of all fatalities. Speeding also causes a driver to lose awareness of their surroundings and their reactions to changing roadways.
Other factors that cause motorcycle accidents include inexperience and inattention. For example, an inexperienced motorcyclist might not be paying attention to a red light and end up in a crash. Similarly, a motorist who doesn’t look for motorcycles may not know how to accelerate to avoid an accident.