First Name:

Last Name:

Telephone:

Email:

Address:

City:

State:

Zipcode:

Incident Details:

form base
Home ยป Consumer Information

Types of Motorcycle Accidents

Recent reports show that motorcycle accidents are on the rise, and there are a variety of circumstances that trigger them:

Car/truck - account for about three quarters of all motorcycle accidents. These commonly occur when the driver of the vehicle fails to see the motorcycle approaching and turns left or right into the path of the bike. If the motorcyclist does not have ample time to react, this situation results in an immediate collision. However, if the motorcyclist is able to swerve out of the way, there is a good chance that they will lose control and still crash. These collisions are often caused because the motorcycle is caught in the driver's blind spot.

Solo - only involve the motorcyclist and the bike. Police reports often claim driver negligence in an accident such as this, but they are likely caused by hazardous road conditions or faulty equipment. Common types of single-bike accidents include high and low siding and end- over crashes. A low siding accident happens when the bike is angled so sharply that its tires lose traction, and it skids out. A high siding accident occurs when a sliding bike suddenly regains traction and causes the bike to flip. An end-over accident is the result of slamming on the brakes so abruptly that the bike's momentum causes it to flip end over end.

Blocked trail - result from landowners barring off-road bikes from entering trails on their property. This is often accomplished by placing ropes or chains across the entrance to the path. Riders may fail to spot these obstructions until after it is too late. The landowners do not have the right to put up these barricades without posting a warning to the rider well in advance.

Rear-end - occur when drivers of automobiles do not spot motorcycles that have stopped or are traveling at a slower rate in front of them. Drivers of larger vehicles that have a higher road clearance may be more prone to this kind of accident.

U-turn - happen as a car brakes, turns, and cuts across traffic into the opposite lane with little warning. This gives motorcyclists so little time to react that they often cannot avoid hitting the vehicle broadside. It may result in the motorcyclist being ejected from the bike and thrown over the car that collided with them. Sadly, although the biker is frequently injured, they are still held responsible for the accident.

Unsafe road conditions/debris - unexpected hazards that can cause a motorcyclists to lose control at any moment (e.g., grease, motor oil, gravel, uneven pavement, potholes)

Open car door - occur when someone leaving an automobile is careless and fails to look for approaching traffic prior to opening the door. A motorcyclist traveling at a fairly high rate of speed barely has a chance to avoid an accident under these circumstances and often gets thrown from the bike.