How do Car Accidents Compare to Motorcycle Accidents?

Car accidents and motorcycle accidents are similar in that both are often caused by speeding and/or alcohol. In fact, speeding, alcohol, and/or distracted driving were a factor in 58 percent of fatal traffic accidents between 2004 and 2013 according to statistics from the Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting. 31 percent of fatal accidents between 2004 and 2013 involved alcohol and claimed over 116,000 lives. In addition, 31 percent of fatal accidents during this same time period were caused by speeding.

Accident Rates

Motorcycles account for only three percent of all registered vehicles in the United States; about 9 million. However, there are a significant larger number of motorcycle accidents involving fatalities or injuries compared with car accidents. A greater percentage of motorcycle accidents are also caused by alcohol compared with car accidents.

Injuries and Fatalities

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 13 cars out of every 100,000 are involved in a fatal crash. Motorcycles have a fatality rate of 72 per 100,000. Due to the nature of a motorcycle, motorcycle accidents are inherently more dangerous than car accidents because riders are not protected by steel and are can easily be thrown from off the motorcycle during an accident. Motorcycle accidents often result in injury. 98 percent of multiple vehicle collisions and 96 percent of single vehicle accidents result in injury to a motorcyclist according to the Hurt Report.

NHTSA reported nearly 2.6 million people in car accident are injured every year accounting for 95 percent of all injury-causing crashes. Of these, three percent involve cars. 55 percent of people killed in car accidents were not wearing a seatbelt and 28 percent of fatalities resulted from being ejected from the vehicle.

Car and Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

If you have suffered serious injuries following a car accident or motorcycle accident caused by the negligence of another driver, contact the experienced motorcycle accident lawyers of Parke Gordon Law Firm to handle your case. Our law firm believes every client deserves fair representation against big insurance companies with deep pockets. Call an experienced and trusted attorney Parke Gordon now for a free consultation.

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