Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month: Preventing Motorcycle Accidents

 Posted on May 12, 2021 in Car Accidents

The warm weather has finally arrived in Illinois after a long, cold winter, and this is welcome news for motorcycle enthusiasts. Every year, the month of May is designated National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, serving as an important reminder to motorcyclists and drivers of other vehicles of important safety habits they should follow to minimize the risk of being involved in a motorcycle crash.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics

At one time, only “bikers” in gangs drove motorcycles. That has significantly changed over the past several decades, and currently, women and men from all walks of life own motorcycles and enjoy riding. It is estimated that more than 13 million motorcycles are registered in the United States. While they account for less than 5 percent of the number of registered vehicles on the road, they make up for about 15 percent of all traffic deaths each year, and motorcycle accidents result in the death of approximately 5,000 victims. Another 90,000 victims are injured, many of them seriously.

National statistics show that 80 percent of all motorcycle accidents cause serious injuries or death. A rider on a motorcycle is 29 times more at risk of suffering fatal injuries in a crash than occupants in a passenger car accident. These high numbers are due to the lack of protection a person on a motorcycle has when a bike is struck by another vehicle. Tragically, the number of riders who are injured or killed in motorcycle crashes keeps increasing each year.

Motorcycle Safety

Unfortunately, the majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by other vehicle drivers. Many of these drivers fail to see motorcyclists because of the blind spots in their vehicle, or they do not yield the right of way to motorcyclists. Head-on collisions are the most common type of motorcycle crash, responsible for more than 75 percent of motorcycle accidents.

Anyone riding a motorcycle must be constantly alert to what is going on around them, and they should avoid becoming distracted, even for a second. Motorcyclists should always ride defensively. When getting ready to ride, it is also crucial to a rider’s safety to wear the appropriate gear that will help minimize any injuries in the event of a crash, including leather jackets, chaps, boots, and gloves.

Riders should always wear a helmet. Illinois is one of only three states in the entire country that do not require either motorcyclists or their passengers to wear a helmet. Although riders have that choice, safety advocates are adamant that wearing helmets save lives. Multiple studies have shown that wearing a motorcycle helmet lowers the risk of head injury by 70 percent and the risk of a fatal injury by almost 50 percent.

Contact a Will County Personal Injury Attorney

No matter how many safety precautions a motorcycle rider takes, there is always a risk of being involved in a motor vehicle collision. If you have been injured in a crash caused by another driver, contact McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC to find out about your legal options for pursuing financial compensation from the driver who was at fault. Call 815-727-0100 today to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation with a skilled Joliet motorcycle accident lawyer.

Sources:

https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycles

https://www.iihs.org/topics/motorcycles#helmet-laws

https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/motorcycle-safety