Motorcycle Accident Statistics - Information on Motor Vehicle Collisions

If a motorcyclist has an accident, he or she is more likely to die than a person in an automobile accident. This makes sense since a motorcyclist is more vulnerable than a person in a car or truck. Therefore, it is important to know and understand motorcycle accident statistics and avoid becoming one yourself. A number of these important statistics on motorcycle accidents are related below. An estimated 70 percent of all motorcycle accidents are due to the failure of other automobile drivers to see the motorcyclists; this is usually a passenger automobile. Nearly 25 percent of all motorcycle accidents are the result of a collision between the bike and either a stationary object or the road itself. A punctured tire resulting in an accident involving only the motorcycle caused only 3 percent of motorcycle accidents. However, a vehicle failure causing an accident is quite rare. In most motorcycle accidents with only one vehicle, driver error was the biggest factor such as slide-outs, over-cornering due to speed, or over-braking. Potholes and other pavement problems account for about 2 percent of all motorcycle accidents with animal collisions following at about 1 percent. Most pavement issues are not around posted roadwork areas, but rather it's the pothole not seen until it is right under the front wheel that causes most accidents. Intersections are particularly dangerous to the motorcyclist, with single vehicle passenger cars being more likely than the motorist to violate a traffic law and cause an accident. Also, most accidents are going to happen during a short trip such as running an errand. Nearly 50 percent of all fatal motorcycle accidents show alcohol consumption to be a prime factor. Remember that you should never drink and drive. With all these things to worry about, it may be comforting to know that weather conditions are not a major factor in accidents. In fact only about 2 percent of all motorcycle accidents are related to weather conditions. If you have been involved in a collision, contact an Anchorage motorcycle accident attorney to discuss your case.