Know that not all motorcycles are equally safe

On Behalf of | Oct 16, 2020 | Motorcycle Accidents |

A study carried out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2006 showed that the number of motorcycle-involved fatalities reached 4,810, a number that was double what it was ten years before. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 88,000 motorcyclists injuries that same year. These alarming statistics motivated safety analysts to start delving deeper into whether some bikes are safer than others.

The researchers determined that racing, or supersport bikes, are particularly dangerous as they have significantly higher horsepower than most other sports motorbikes on the road.

Data compiled by the IIHS in 2006 showed that motorcyclists who owned these bikes were four times more likely to die in a crash than other motorbike owners. The researchers also found that although less than 10% of motorcyclists owned supersport motorcycles, at least 25% of all fatal crashes involved them.

The researchers found that the next highest death rate was among sports bike owners at 10.7 per 10,000. Touring motorbike operators, or ones who own Harley Davidson bikes, fell closely behind at 6.5 fatalities per 10,000. The lowest fatality rate was among individuals who operated standard motorbikes, also known as cruisers. They had 5.7 deaths per 10,000 riders.

IIHS researchers also found that speed was the most significant factor in causing supersport motorcycle crashes. Driver error followed close behind. The combination of the two contributed to unclad, supersports and sports bike fatalities. Alcohol consumption resulted in all types of motorcycle-involved crashes. It was most common among touring and cruiser motorcyclists age 30 to 49, though.

Many motorcyclists share a fear of having a crash. They worry about this because they don’t have a seat belt holding them down or the protection of the shell of an automobile around them to cushion the impact of a collision. It’s very easy for motorcyclists to seriously injure a body part when they crash down on the roadway or their bikes fall on top of them.

Fortunately, the law allows injured motorcyclists to collect compensation if they get hurt in a crash caused by someone else. Choose a motorcycle accidents attorney who’ll stand by you throughout the process if you want to achieve the best results in your Tampa case.

Archives

attorneys Brad Culpepper and Brett J. Kurland