When looking at motorcycle and other motor vehicle accident statistics, it’s clear that there are more accidents for motorcycles than there are for motor vehicles. The problem is that most of these accidents are due to the fault of the automobile drivers who fail to give the proper right of way to motorcycles and cause accidents.
There was a survey filled out to assess car drivers’ attitudes and assessment of motorcyclists. Drivers should there were some negative attitudes towards motor cycles in some cases and empathic attitudes in other cases. Some drivers were aware of the perceptual problems when dealing with motorcycles and many had a spatial understanding of the motorcycle on the road. Drivers who had a moderate driving experience held the most negative responses toward motorcyclists.
In many single motorcycle accidents, common errors made include the slide out, over braking or taking a curve too wide. Of course, speeding and taking the corner too narrow was also a problem. In two thirds of two vehicle accidents, the driver of the car failed to give the motorcyclist his or her due right of way.
Motorists often fail to notice or recognize motorcyclists in traffic. Often the driver did not see the motorcyclist at all before the collision or saw the motorcyclist after it was possible to avoid the crash. Having the motorist be deliberately hostile to the motorcyclist is rare but it does happen. Intersections are the most common spot for collisions. In such collisions, the motorist didn’t give the motorcyclist the right of way.
Weather isn’t a factor for approximately 98 percent of motorcycle collisions. Most accidents on the motorcycle involved a short trip, such as an errand, shopping trip or visit with friends and the accident is likely to happen close to home. Sometimes accidents are caused by glare or obstruction because of another vehicle. This accounts to almost half of the vehicle accidents involving many vehicles.
Having the daytime running lights on and wearing high visibility clothing such as orange, yellow or bright red, has been found to reduce the number of motorcycle accidents. In some countries, it is the law to have running daytime headlights on.
Fuel tank leakage and other system leakage is present in 62 percent of cases, which can represent a fire hazard. The median crash speed was 21 miles per hour. Some crash speeds are as high as 86 miles per hour. These are usually fatal. More than 75 percent of crashes are within 45 degrees of straight ahead so that it appears that peripheral vision is not a problem in most cases.
Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 represent most of the accident victims, while riders between the ages of thirty and fifty are less likely to be involved in motor vehicle accidents on a motorcycle. Ninety six percent of all motorcyclists are male but females are overrepresented in the population of those that get injured or killed. Most victims are students, laborers or craftsmen. There are few professional people, sales people involved in accidents. Drivers who have had previous traffic tickets or accidents are likely to be in an accident again.