Motorcycle accidents and associated fatalities are becoming more common by the year, but the facts surrounding them continue to be murky. Our experienced Salem personal injury attorney debunks the top 10 myths about motorcycle collisions below.
10 Leading Motorcycle Accident Myths Debunked
1. Myth: Most Multi-Vehicle Motorcycle Accidents Are Caused by Riders
Fact: The at-fault party in the majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes is a motor vehicle driver who was not paying attention to the motorcycle. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
2. Myth: Many Motorcycle Crashes Are Caused by Bad Weather
Fact: 82% of deadly motorcycle collisions in 2021 happened when the weather was good and there was no rain, ice, or snow. (National Safety Council)
3. Myth: Young or Inexperienced Motorcycle Riders Cause a Lot of Accidents
Fact: Riders were over the age of 40 in more than half of all motorcycle accident deaths in 2020. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
4. Myth: The Number of Motorcyclist Fatalities Per Year in America is Decreasing
Fact: The number of motorcycle accident deaths in 2022 was 23% higher in 2022 than in 2019. There were also three times the number of fatalities that year than there were in 1997. (Insurance Institute of Highway Safety)
5. Myth: The Number of Motorcyclists Injured in Accidents Is Also Decreasing
Fact: From 2022 to 2023 alone, the number of non-fatal motorcycle accident injuries increased by 19%. (National Safety Council)
6. Myth: Wearing a Motorcycle Helmet Doesn’t Matter That Much
Fact: A DOT-approved helmet has been shown to reduce the risk of death in a motorcycle accident by 37% to 42%. Additionally, riders who are not wearing an approved helmet have a tripled risk of sustaining a traumatic brain injury in a crash than those who are. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
In fact, more than 22,000 motorcycle riders who died between 1976 and 2022 would have lived if their states had universal helmet laws. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
In 2022, 54% of motorcyclists not wearing a helmet were killed in accidents in states without universal helmet laws. This is compared to just 11% of riders killed in states with helmet laws. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
7. Myth: Anti-Lock Brake Systems Are Only Good for Cars
Fact: A survey of motorcycle crashes between 2003 to 2019 revealed that having an anti-lock brake system (ABS) reduced the likelihood of a collision by 22%. (Insurance Institute of Highway Safety)
8. Myth: More Fatal Motorcycle Accidents Happen in the Morning Than at Night
Fact: In 2022, most motorcycle crashes that involved one or more deaths occurred between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. (Insurance Information Institute)
9. Myth: Motorcycle Riders and Motor Vehicle Drivers Have About the Same Risk of Death in a Crash
Fact: Motorcyclists are 22 times more likely to die in an accident per vehicle miles traveled than someone driving a car or truck. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
10. Myth: A Lot of Motorcycle Riders Are Alcohol Impaired at the Time of Their Accident
Fact: Over 74% of drivers were not found to have been drinking prior to the collision. Only about 26% of motorcyclists had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of over the legal limit of 0.08%. (National Safety Council)
Do You Need a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident that injured you, or you lost a family member to a motorcycle collision, Mazow | McCullough, PC can help. Contact us today to learn more about your rights or to schedule a consultation with a personal injury lawyer by calling (978) 744-8000 or toll-free at (855) 693-9084.
Robert E. Mazow, Partner
Rob Mazow is a founding partner of Mazow | McCullough, PC, where he represents injured victims and their families. As a former Assistant District Attorney in Essex County, Rob has tried over 100 jury cases. Unhappy with representing “big business,” he left a large Boston firm in 2003 and dedicated his new practice to holding wrongdoers accountable. Rob has recovered millions for families and has led impactful class actions protecting Massachusetts consumers. He tells his clients, “I can’t guarantee you a result. But what I can promise is that nobody will fight harder to get you the best result possible.”
