A New Global Survey Report On the Dynamics of Motorcycle Crashes Could Completely Change Accident Analysis & Claims
For years, the assumption has been that the slower one rides a motorcycle, the less likely one is to get injured in an accident (and therefore, conversely, motorcycle riders that were speeding must be responsible for any injuries that they incur in accidents with cars). However, a new global survey report completely turns this assumption on its head, and this could not only completely change motorcycle crash investigations, but personal injury claims that result from motorcycle accidents.
Specifically, the study shows that motorcycle accidents are much more complicated and random events than previously thought, and the velocity of the motorcycle is not always the deciding factor in terms of whether the riders are seriously injured or not, as we discuss below.
Study Reveals That Weather & Speed Are Less To Blame Than Other Factors And/or Parties
Some interesting facts that came out of the study include the following:
- Motorcycle accidents are most likely to occur on Saturdays between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM, when visibility is good. In fact, 60 percent of the riders who participated in the study indicated that they experienced a crash when it was sunny
- There was no direct correlation between the speed the bike was going and the severity of the injury or how much time the rider spent in the hospital in order to recover from the injury. In fact, both the injuries and the time spent in the hospital appeared to be random factors that occurred at any speed
- 43 percent of those surveyed had previously participated in some kind of training course and only one-third had advanced braking systems on their bikes
Because the study indicates that the speed of the motorcycle when it crashes with another vehicle does not necessarily determine the severity of the injuries of the rider, analysts should focus more on the mechanism of a crash – i.e. the trajectory of the rider and what exactly they hit – as this is far more important than speed in terms of their injuries. While speed limits are of course important and are there for reason, as well as directly relevant to being able to stop in time in order to decrease braking distance and avoid a crash altogether, more attention should still be focused on standardization of training to avoid crashing and why only two-thirds of riders were equipped with advanced braking systems in the first place. In addition, given that it is clear that autonomous vehicles will be used more and more in the coming years even though these vehicles continue to experience issues on the road that lead to serious accidents, injuries, and even deaths, but motorcycles have still not been incorporated into their existing detection systems, this could become a serious issue in terms of potentially leading to additional motorcycle accidents and injuries on the roads.
Potential Implications for Motorcycle Accident Claims
The results of the study could undoubtedly be used to shift the blame from motorcycle riders, who are frequently blamed for their injuries in accidents for riding too fast, to other factors and/or parties involved in the accidents. The study highlighted–perhaps for the first time–that motorcycle accident analysts simply look the wrong way all too often and the studies have too frequently identified rider error as the major cause of these collisions, possibly due to analysts resorting to standardized labels and stereotypes to characterize motorcycle accidents rather than looking at the actual dynamics of the crashes themselves.
If You Have Been Injured in A Motorcycle Accident, Contact A Texas Motorcycle Accident Attorney
If you have been injured, contact Houston motorcycle accident attorney Sue E. West for a free consultation and the best in legal representation in order to obtain the maximum compensation for your injuries.
Resources:
visordown.com/news/industry/motorcycle-crashes-investigated-never
investigativeresearch.org/documents/Dynamics%20of%20Motorcycle%20Crashes_final.pdf
