The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) maintains some detailed statistics on fatal motorcycle accidents. A report of a fatal motorcycle crash in Houston in August 2011 classifies the wreck as a “single vehicle” motorcycle accident. Single vehicle classification doesn’t really mean that no other vehicles were involved in the crash. (After all, it was rush hour, and this particular accident occurred when the victim was forced to halt by sudden traffic stoppage in front of him.) This classification just means that even though there may have been many other vehicles in the vicinity, and the bike’s driver may have died while taking evasive action to avoid these vehicles, no other vehicle actually struck the driver to spill him from his bike. “Single vehicle” motorcycle accidents account for roughly half of all fatal motorcycle crashes. In single vehicle bike wrecks, statistics show that:
Riders of bikes with very large engine displacements die in accidents at 4 times the rate of other cyclists.
Helmet use in fatal single vehicle motorcycle accidents is less than 50%.
More than 35% of motorcyclists were speeding at the time of their fatal motorcycle crashes.
Males represent more than 90% of the victims of fatal motorcycle accidents.
Approximately half of the victims of fatal single vehicle bike wrecks negotiated a curve just prior to their fatal motorcycle accidents.
Bikers are more exposed to the dangers of injury and fatality from wrecks than the occupants of enclosed vehicles. The dangers of being severely injured in a motorcycle accident only go up for riders lacking helmets. Motorcycle accidents leave the victims with huge expenses, many of which may be lifelong costs.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, or if you have lost a loved one to a fatal motorcycle crash in Houston, you’ll need help to obtain financial compensation to pay the expenses of the injury. If you’re suffering because of a motorcycle accident, please call us at (877) 307-9500 for your free legal consultation. A Board Certified Clear Lake, TX motorcycle accident lawyer will answer your questions about the accident. He can help you to understand your options after the traumatic event, and the potential obstacles you may face in making an accident claim. Don’t suffer the impact of a devastating motorcycle accident and its expenses alone; let us help.