Motorcycle Accident Statistics

North Carolina Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Data and Risk Factors Provided by Our Motorcycle Accident Attorney

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are more than 8 million registered motorcycles on roads throughout the country. While this represents only three percent of all vehicles on the road, the fatality rate for motorcyclists is 27 times that of other motorists. One reason is that motorcycles do not provide as much physical protection as cars or trucks in the event of a collision. However, lack of helmet use, protective safety gear, and other factors also contribute to these motorcycle accident statistics.

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries in a motorcycle accident? If so, you could be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and other damages. The legal team at Riddle & Brantley believes victims of motorcycle accidents deserve aggressive and understanding representation in court. We offer free initial consultations and always fight for full and fair compensation for our clients.

Our Law Firm Fights For Motorcycle Accident Victims

In one particular motorcycle wreck case our lawyers handled, we discovered additional insurance coverage to maximize our clients’ recovery. A young husband, and father, was traveling on his motorcycle to a hotel for a meeting with his employer’s company. He worked for a local fast food chain restaurant. He was stopped at a stop light and smashed from behind by a car.

Unfortunately, he suffered a coma and never came out of it. He eventually died. The at-fault vehicle only had $30,000 in liability coverage and the insurance company and another attorney were encouraging the wife to quickly accept this amount and end the claim. The wife hired Gene Riddle who conducted a very thorough investigation and found an additional $200,000 in underinsured coverage. But most importantly he discovered that this accident should have been covered by the victim’s workers compensation plan since he was on the way to work at a specific location for a special meeting with his employer.

Gene filed the workers’ compensation claim and convinced the carrier to accept coverage and provide compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and death benefits. The wife and dependent child received both the coverages from all vehicle policies and the workers’ compensation benefits. To this day, this case will always stand out for our commitment to justice.

National and North Carolina Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Bikers cannot always prevent motorcycle accidents. However, understanding common causes and risk factors can help motorcyclists avoid certain dangers on the road. Relevant statistics from the NHTSA as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) include:

• Riders age 50 and older have the highest rates of death and injury in motorcycle crashes, followed by those 30 and younger.
• Approximately 88,000 people were treated for non-fatal motorcycle accident injuries in 2015.
• Also in 2015, 4,976 bikers died in motorcycle accidents, which is an 8 percent increase from the previous year.
• The deadliest motorcycle accidents are collisions with passenger vehicles.
• More than 75 percent of car vs. motorcycle accidents are head-on or side impact collisions.
• A third of fatal motorcycle crashes involve speeding and 30 percent involve drunk driving.
• Approximately 38 percent of motorcycle riders and 47 percent of passengers killed in fatal motorcycle accidents in 2015 nationwide were not wearing helmets. However, in states with universal helmet laws (including North Carolina), only 8 percent of riders killed in motorcycle crashes were not helmeted.
• The NHTSA estimates that helmets saved 1,669 lives in 2014. Additionally, 660 more lives could have been saved if all motorcyclists wore helmets.
• North Carolina’s motorcyclist fatality rate increased from 147 in 2013 to 150 in 2014.
• For passenger cars driving behind motorcyclists, allowing an additional 3 to 4 seconds of following distance can drastically reduce the likelihood of a crash.
• One out of every nine accidents in the U.S. involves a motorcycle.
• There were 3,952 motorcycle accidents in North Carolina in 2014. Of these, 3,241 resulted in injuries.

Motorcycle Crash Injuries? Contact Our NC Motorcycle Accident Attorney Today

With over 160 years of combined legal experience, Riddle & Brantley can fight to deliver justice for you after a motorcycle crash. The compensation that a successful verdict or settlement can bring can help cover medical expenses, lost wages and so many other losses caused by a motorcycle accident.

With our offices throughout North Carolina, we are proud to serve clients in Raleigh, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, Kinston and all surrounding areas. If you cannot travel to us, then a motorcycle accident attorney will meet you at your home, in the hospital or anywhere that is convenient. We offer free initial consultations and also contingency fee arrangements.

Contact us online or call (800) 525-7111 to speak with an attorney today. We are available 24 hours a day, every day, to help you with your motorcycle accident claim.