Motorcycle Accident Information & Motorcycle Accident Lawyers In North-carolina

Motorcycle accidents in North Carolina, and around the world, happen for a wide variety of reasons. The highest number of accidents involve both a motorcycle and at least one other vehicle, about three out of every four motorcycle accidents. In a lot of these situations, the driver of the other vehicle claimed not to have seen the motorcycle at all, or at least missed seeing the motorcycle until it was too late to avoid it. It does not take much to make a biker invisible to other drivers. When a motorcycle is coming straight at you, it is very narrow. Even with a headlight on, which is required at all times by North Carolina law, a motorcycle can be completely masked by something as simple as the glare of sunlight off a window.

The other one out four motorcycle accidents involve only the motorcycle. About 92 percent of these riders have very little training and too little experience. These riders are usually trained by family members or friends. While driving a motorcycle can be extremely fun, speed on a motorcycle is not your friend. In the majority of these single vehicle accidents, a rider enters a corner going too fast. When they lean to make the corner, it is very possible that the tires will slip out from underneath the rider. It is also possible that the diver under steers the curve by not leaning far enough. In either of these situations, the driver is going to lose control of the bike, and, depending on the actual speed of the bike, the injuries could be quite severe.

There are a variety of other factors that can be present in any motorcycle accident. Only about two percent can be blamed directly on the weather. About three percent of the accidents occur due to vehicle failure. Poor motorcycle maintenance is the usual culprit. Another three percent can be blamed on imperfections or obstacles in the roadway, such as potholes and animals. Sadly enough, over fifty percent of the accidents still involve alcohol use by the rider.

The number of motorcycle accidents has climbed steadily for the past nine years. In America there were 4,576 fatalities from motorcycle accidents in 2005. This number represents 10.5 percent of 43,510, which was the total number of traffic related fatalities. In 2006 this number jumped to 4,810 or 11.3 percent. While motorcycle accident numbers climbed in 2006, the total number of fatalities for all vehicle accidents declined to 42,642. Motorcycle accidents in North Carolina fall a little below the national numbers. There were 152 deaths in 2005 and 150 in 2006. This was a little under ten percent of the total for both years.

There are laws and regulations put in place by North Carolina to help reduce the number of fatalities and the number of accidents over all. As with all states, North Carolina requires that you be licensed to ride motorcycles. There are several steps to obtaining your endorsement. Once you have a valid driver’s license, you can receive a Class M endorsement that shows you have passed some basic tests for riding. These tests include a vision test, a written motorcycle knowledge test and a road skills test. Please see your local DMV for more details.

North Carolina also requires that all riders wear safety helmets at all times while riding. This applies to any passengers as well. 1,658 lives were saved by helmets in 2006. It is believed that another 752 lives could have been saved if they had been wearing a helmet. Eye protection is not required, but it is strongly recommended. About 73 percent of the riders involved in an accident were not wearing any kind of safety glasses or goggles. It is believed that the wind makes their eyes water and impedes their vision, which leads to seeing a potential hazard too late to avoid it. There are estimates stating that a motorcycle rider has less than two seconds to recognize an obstacle, decide what to do to avoid it and initiate that action. Anything that may reduce the time a rider has to react can be a serious danger.

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