In 2005, 87,000 motorcyclists were injured and an additional 4,553 motorcyclists lost their lives in traffic accidents throughout the United States. Unfortunately, due to the severity of these accidents, motorcyclists often sustain severe and debilitating injuries. Injuries to the head, neck and spine can leave motorcyclists with lifelong disabilities and chronic pain.
When a motorcyclist is involved in a traffic accident, the results can be devastating. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are 34 times more likely to die in a traffic accident than passenger car occupants, and they are 8 times more likely to be injured in these accidents. Injuries to motorcyclists include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Spinal Cord Injuries
Back and Neck Injuries
Severe Soft Tissue Injuries
Broken Limbs
Road Rash
Herniated, Bulging Discs
Burns and Severe Lacerations
Eye Injuries including Retinal Detachment
Motorcycle Safety:
Even though Colorado law does not require motorcyclists over the age of 18 to wear a helmet, safety experts recommend it. The best way to prevent motorcycle accident injuries is to wear a helmet. In fact, helmets are estimated to be 37% more effective in preventing motorcycle fatalities. In 2005 alone, 1,546 motorcyclists lives were saved by simply wearing a helmet.
Even though Colorado law doesn’t require motorcyclists to wear a helmet while driving, it does require drivers to wear eye protection. Wearing eye protection can prevent severe eye injuries and lacerations from occurring. Retinal detachment, eye lacerations and corneal abrasions can lead to severe vision problems and even blindness.
If you or someone you love was injured in a motorcycle accident, it is important to contact an experienced Littleton Colorado Motorcycle Accident Attorney immediately. Colorado has strict laws in place to protect motorcyclists from negligent and irresponsible drivers. These laws hold negligent drivers liable for any damages and injuries that have occurred. Since Colorado is an “at fault” state, your attorney will need to determine who was responsible for your injuries. In many cases, there may even be multiple parties responsible for the accident and for your injuries. A motorcycle accident attorney will need to review your case thoroughly to determine if you have reason to file a claim. If legal action is needed, an experienced motorcycle accident attorney will be able to aggressively represent you during the entire legal process to ensure that you receive the maximum compensation for your injuries.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident call us for a free case evaluation. -
303-562-1507The following motorcycle accident statistics provide a clear picture of how frequently these types of traffic accidents occur, as well as how often they result in serious and fatal injuries. These facts and statistics have been compiled and published by various reputable agencies, including (but not limited to) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Safety Council and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
General Motorcycle Accident Statistics
Motorcycle accidents account for about 11 percent of all traffic accidents that occur each year in the U.S.; however, motorcycles only comprise about 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S.
Riders between the ages of 20 and 24 years old have the highest rates of injuries and deaths caused by motorcycle accidents.
The top three most common injuries that riders sustain in motorcycle accidents include (in order of more to less common) leg and foot injuries, head and neck injuries, and injuries to the upper torso region.
Fatal Motorcycle Accident Statistics
The risk of getting into a fatal accident is about 35 times greater for riders than it is for other motorists.
Head injuries are the number one cause of motorcycle accident deaths.
Wearing safety helmets can reduce riders’ risk of sustaining fatal head injuries by about 37 percent.
More than 50 percent of all fatal motorcycle accidents involve at least one additional vehicle.
About 42 percent of all fatal motorcycle accidents that involve at least two vehicles are left-hand turn accidents (meaning that a vehicle is making a left turn while a rider is attempting to pass or proceed straight).
When no other vehicles are involved in fatal motorcycle accidents, speeding and operating motorcycles while intoxicated are the primary causes of these accidents.
Speeding is a factor in approximately 35 percent of all fatal motorcycle accidents.
What to do After a Motorcycle Accident
Riding motorcycles can be as liberating and enjoyable as it is cost-effective and efficient. Unfortunately, however, riders have a higher risk of getting into accidents than other motorists on the roads, as the smaller size of motorcycles (as compared to cars or trucks) can increase the risk that riders won’t be seen and may be hit by other motorists.
Given this risk, as well as the fact that what riders do in the aftermath of an accident can affect their rights to compensation, it’s critical that all riders know what to do after motorcycle accidents occur. Here’s a step-by-step overview of what riders should do after a motorcycle accident.
Get out of harm’s way – This will likely be your natural reaction if you are conscious after
being hit by a car while on your motorcycle, and it will be especially important if the accident occurs on a busier roadway (or during rush hour).
Call 911 – Once you are safely out of danger, call 911 and report the accident. Be sure to inform operators if anyone at the scene has been severely injured so they know whether to send an ambulance to the scene (and, if so, how many emergency vehicles to send to help injured people).
Get info from other motorists – If possible, try to collect information from other motorists and witnesses to the accident as you wait for police to arrive at the scene (or while you wait for them to give you the OK to leave). Information that you should collect from other drivers should typically include their driver’s license numbers, their insurers and auto policy numbers and their contact information (as well as, of course, their full legal names). For witnesses, be sure to jot down their names and contact information.If you don’t have a piece of paper or pen handy to collect such information, consider using your cellphone to text or email this info to yourself (so you have it easily accessible in an electronic form when you need it).
Take pictures of the damage – While cellphones can come in handy to record info from other drivers, they can also be helpful when it comes to taking pictures of the damage caused by the motorcycle accident. If possible, use your cellphone (or another available camera) to snap pictures of the accident wreckage, any damage to surrounding fixed objects and visible injuries that you or your passengers have sustained.These pictures can be crucial pieces of evidence later, as they can back up your account of what happened while helping to establish who is most likely to blame for causing the accident.
Report the accident to your insurer – When possible, in the hours or days after a motorcycle accident, call your insurance company to report the accident. As you disclose the collision, do your best to just report the facts of the case. This means you should focus on only stating where the accident happened, when (day/time) it occurred, who was involved and whether you went to the hospital.Do NOT accept any blame for causing the accident, and try to refrain from placing the blame on any other driver. The reason that it is so important for riders to stick to the facts is that insurers can use these statements to
try to deny or undercut riders’ claims (particularly if a rider admits to having caused an accident).
Call us – If you are unable to take any of the above-mentioned steps after a motorcycle accident, the single most important step to take is to call the Littleton motorcycle accident attorneys at Littleton Lawyers™. With our lawyers on your side, you can rest assured that:
Your rights will be fully protected.
You will have the best chances of getting the full amount of compensation you deserve.
Your case will be resolved as efficiently as possible.
Contact Littleton Lawyers™
At the Law Office of Littleton Lawyers™, our
personal injury attorneys are experienced at and dedicated to representing victims of motorcycle accidents, including families who have lost a loved in these accidents. When injured people and their families choose to trust us with their cases, they can rely on us to be aggressive, unrelenting advocates for their rights and to do whatever it takes to help them get the compensation and justice they deserve.
A choice to work with our skilled Littleton motorcycle accident attorneys can empower injured people and give them confidence that their important legal matters will be resolved as favorably and efficiently as possible.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident, we encourage you to meet with us for a free, no obligations initial consult. During this meeting, we can inform you of your rights and provide you with a thorough, professional case evaluation. Call us at (303) 562-1507 or email us using the form on this page to learn more.
Our lawyers provide the highest quality legal services to injured people throughout Colorado from our law offices in Littleton, including in the Denver Metro Area, Arapahoe County, Adams County, Jefferson County and in the cities of Lakewood, Highlands Ranch, Lonetree, Castlerock, Westminster, Centennial and Aurora.
