Most Tennessee motorcyclists know that there is an element of danger when driving a motorcycle along the state’s highways and country roads. For example, in 2012 alone, over 4,600 motorcyclists lost their lives while 93,000 suffered injuries across the nation.
Since 2003, the number of motorcyclists who were injured or killed has steadily risen. In fact, in 2012, 15 percent of all traffic fatalities were motorcyclists. In a large number of cases, 93 percent of motorcycle riders were killed whereas 7 percent of passengers died in crashes.
The majority of accidents involving motorcycles included at least one other vehicle. These crashes comprised 52 percent of all motorcycle accidents. Approximately 75 percent of these crashes occurred when the motorcyclist collided with a moving vehicle that was in front of them. In contrast, only about 7 percent of these wrecks involved another car rear-ending the motorcycle. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also reveal that out of 953 motorcycle accidents, 41 percent of these crashes occurred when a passenger or a commercial vehicle attempted to make a left-hand turn in front of the motorcyclist.
An individual who is involved in a motorcycle wreck could suffer debilitating injuries, and he or she might require extensive and costly medical treatment in order to make a full recovery. If another person is found to be liable for the accident, the injured motorcyclist could potentially file a personal injury lawsuit, seeking compensation to recover the costs for the damages that were suffered in the crash such as pain and suffering as well as lost wages.
Source: US Department of Transportation , “Motorcycles“, December 02, 2014