Motorcycle accident lawyers know that, unfortunately, motorcycles are dangerous vehicles. That fact should come as no surprise; motorcycles offer speeds equal to or greater than other common road vehicles, but they effectively offer no protection in the case of an accident. While most road users—both drivers and riders—are aware of these risks, they probably are not familiar with the statistics. Motorcycle accident lawyers know the stats, and they can help you if you have had the misfortune of contributing to the numbers.
Crash Death Rates
As mentioned above, motorcycles achieve speeds equal to automobiles but with far less protection for the rider. As such, motorcycle fatality rates are significantly higher than automobile fatality rates. In the US, the number of deaths per mile travelled by motorcycle was 26 times that of automobiles in 2013. In Ontario, the numbers aren’t much better: 2014 saw 481 total motor vehicle fatalities, and motorcyclists accounted for 56 of those. At 11.6 percent, this average far outweighs the amount of motorcyclists actually on the road.
How Do Motorcycle Crashes Occur?
Though it may be perversely reassuring, the majority of motorcycle driver deaths occur with just the motorcycle and no other vehicle. Of course, motorcycle accidents are terrible, but there is some minor solace in the fact that they do not usually put others in danger. Further, most of these single vehicle collisions occur as a result of alcohol or speeding, meaning that responsible drivers have far less to fear.
Getting Help After Motorcycle Accident
Bikers don’t have the best reputations across North America. Whether from the residual effects of the James Dean-esque rebelliousness of the fifties and sixties or from more modern depictions in shows like Sons of Anarchy or True Detective, we tend to think of motorcycle riders as rough and tumble ne’er-do-wells. In reality, though, motorcycling has emerged over the past 20 years as an affordable, energy efficient, city-friendly mode of transportation. Indeed, there’s even a new name for this brand of biker: “rubies” (rich urban bikers). And rather than the danger residing in the riders, a motorcycle accident lawyer knows that we now focus more on the dangers of motorcycle riding itself.
Who Rides?
In the early nineties, the average age of a motorcyclist was 25 years old. Today, that number is higher than 40. Perhaps as a result of this demographic shift, bikers are overwhelming well trained (as any motorcycle accident lawyer knows). In Canada as a whole, 75 percent of all motorcycle riders have taken the Canada Safety Council’s motorcycle safety course. Ontario outperforms this national figure, with 85 percent of riders having been trained.
Is It Safe?
For a trained and responsible motorcycle rider, biking is a safe way to get around. However, motorcyclists are still highly vulnerable road users, and the unfortunate fact is that motorcyclists make up approximately 10 percent of all automobile collision fatalities each year (despite accounting for a far lower percentage of total road users).
If you have suffered a motorcycle accident, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer. With a Toronto personal injury lawyer at Sokoloff Lawyers, you can improve your chances of getting the compensation you deserve.
Sources:
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/motorcycles/qanda
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/publications/pdfs/preliminary-2014-orsar-selected-statistics.pdf
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/publications/pdfs/preliminary-2014-orsar-selected-statistics.pdf
https://canadasafetycouncil.org/traffic-safety/safety-and-motorcycle-rider