Motorcycle accident deaths show dangerous trend
A motorcycle accident can, in many cases, lead to a fatality more easily than a car accident since the rider does not have the physical body of the car to protect him or her in the crash. The rider also does not have other safety features, such as airbags and the like. Even when safety gear—such as a helmet—is used, the rider in California is very exposed.
In fact, a recent study that was reported on by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that the amount of fatalities was actually on the rise in two recent years. Specifically, it went up by seven percent between 2011 and 2012.
The amount of deaths reported in such accidents for 2012 was 4,957. The previous year, in 2011, there were 4,630 fatalities.
The number of injuries also climbed between the two years. In 2011, there were 81,000 reported injuries, but 2012 saw a total of 93,000 injuries. In fact, that is an even more drastic change when you do the math, as it shows a 15 percent increase—more than twice the rate of increase for fatalities.
One positive thing to note is that the fatality rate has remained low, at least when compared to the numbers reported a decade ago. In 2005, for example, the fatality rate was 43.77. In 2011, it was just 24.97, and 2012 saw a rate of 23.27.
Have you been involved in a motorcycle accident and injured in any way? Have you had a loved one pass away in such a crash? In both cases, you need to make sure that you know your rights.
Source: NHTSA, “Motorcycles” accessed Jan. 14, 2015