Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Atlanta Motorcycle Crash Statistics

While each motorcycle accident is different, statistics derived from the thousands of crashes that occur each year help illustrate a larger picture. Motorcycle accident statistics can be startling, as they often show that the drivers of other passenger cars are at-fault for the majority of collisions and that most motorcycle accidents occur under relatively mundane circumstances. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a motorcycle crash, contact our firm for a free case evaluation.

The sources of these motorcycle accident statistics are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Hurt Report, a study of motorcycle accidents that was conducted at the University of Southern California and contracted by the NHTSA.

Motorcycle riders are 37 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than automobile passengers.
Most motorcycle crashes occur at intersections. The most common crash occurs when an automobile makes a left turn without yielding to the right-of-way of a motorcycle proceeding straight through the intersection on the opposite side.
In multiple-vehicle accidents (i.e., the motorcycle did not crash on its own), the other driver is most likely to be at fault.
The predominant cause of motorcycle accidents is the other driver’s failure to recognize the cyclist’s presence on the road.
The majority of motorcycle accidents occur close to home during what would normally be a short trip to run errands, see friends, or participate in some form of recreation or entertainment.
Between 1998 and 2007, the rate of motorcycle accident injuries per year grew from 49,000 to 103,000.
There were 188 fatal Georgia motorcycle accidents in 2007. In 88% of these accidents, the victim was wearing a helmet.
Sixty-six percent of the motorcycle accidents that occurred in 2007 took place in the daytime.
The likelihood of injury in a motorcycle accident is high. Multiple-vehicle accidents have a 98% chance of injury and single-vehicle accidents have a 96% chance of injury. Forty-five percent of these injuries are likely to be moderate to severe.
The average motorcycle crash speed is somewhere between 21 and 30 miles per hour.

Motorcycle accidents are not cut-and-dried cases of reckless riders bringing harm upon themselves. On the contrary, the statistics show that it is often the other driver who is responsible for or contributes to a motorcycle accident. The likelihood of an accident and the severity of the injuries sustained in the accident are both increased when alcohol is involved.

At Morgan & Morgan, our Atlanta motorcycle accident attorneys have the experience to help the victims of these accidents. We understand that the stigma some have against motorcyclists is not based in fact, and our staff is able to thoroughly investigate each claim to determine when and where negligence occurred. Contact our motorcycle accident firm in Atlanta for a free, no-obligation case evaluation, and see if a motorcycle accident lawsuit could help you recover compensation for your injuries.

Back to

Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

Fill out this form for a FREE, immediate Case Evaluation

Review our Verdict Record

$90,200,000: Tobacco Litigation Attorneys
Recovery in a lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. Woman was widowed when her husband died from lung cancer. The total award after apportioning damages based on assignment of fault was $46.3 million.
$40,000,000: Tobacco Litigation Attorneys
In a case against R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris, attorneys Keith Mitnik, Greg Prysock, Joe Taraska and Katy Massa recovered a $40 million tobacco litigation verdict on behalf of the husband and daughter of a woman who died after smoking two packs of cigarettes a day for 36 years.
$38,750,000: Medical Malpractice - Birth Injury Attorneys
Failure to perform a timely C-section resulting in serious injury.

View All Atlanta Injury Practice Areas