SCV and SFV Motorcycle Accident Attorney Mason Rashtian Discusses Motorcycle Accidents

A report prepared by Governors Highway Safety Association reveals that in 2009, motorcyclist traffic fatalities in the United States dropped by 16% to 4,465. This was the first time in 12 years that this number decreased. Unfortunately, any accident involving a motorcyclist results in serious injuries, if not death. Statistics gathered in 2006 show that for every mile traveled in the United States, there were 35 times more deaths resulting from motorcycle accidents than from car accidents.
Why? Because motorcycles provide much less protection in crashes as compared with other vehicles.

There are various factors that lead to motorcycle accidents. Sometimes, an accident occurs when a motorist makes a left-hand turn in front of a motorcyclist, striking the motorcyclist or forcing the motorcyclist to swerve to avoid an impending collision. This accident generally occurs because the motorist failed to see the motorcycle due to its size and/or did not expect a motorcycle to be approaching or passing on the left. This type of accident may also occur when a vehicle is making a right-hand turn, but that occurs less frequently.

Sometimes, a motorcyclist is struck head-on as opposed to the rear or the side. In these head-on collisions, chances of sustaining a serious injury or death dramatically increases because the motorcyclist is usually thrown from his bike.

Sometimes, motorcycle accidents occur because a motorcyclist is lane-splitting. This type of accident generally occurs when the motorcyclist is driving between two lanes of traffic with cars stopped in each lane or cars that are moving slowly.

Regardless of how an accident occurs, it is important to seek advice from a professional, such as a personal injury attorney. Remember that most personal injury attorneys handle accident cases on a contingency basis. So, it costs you nothing to speak with such an attorney.