Motorcycle Accidents

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Florida’s warm weather and open roads make it a haven for motorcycle enthusiasts. In 2011, there were 627,613 registered motorcycles in the State of Florida, accounting for 3.6% of Florida’s motoring public. Unfortunately, with the ever increasing number of motorcyclists on Florida roads, there has also been an increase in the number of motorcycle accidents, injuries and fatalities. In 2011 there were nearly 7,500 motorcycle crashes resulting in just as many injuries, and more than 450 deaths to motorcyclists and their passengers, accounting for 18.8% of all traffic fatalities. Nationwide, there were 4,957 motorcyclists killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2012, a 7% increase from the 4,630 motorcyclists killed in 2011. There were 93,000 motorcyclists injured during 2012, a 15% increase from 81,000 in 2011.

Causes of motorcycle accidents include excessive speed, road hazards, inattention and insufficient operator experience. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has distributed the Model National Standards For Entry-Level Motorcycle Rider Training to establish baseline content that all entry-level riders should be taught in motorcycle rider training classes held in United States, which are intended to be tools to ensure students receive the level of information and experience necessary to properly prepare them for real-world riding situations.

A very common cause of motorcycle accidents is the failure of other vehicles to yield the right of way. Motorcycles are vehicles with the same rights and privileges as any motor vehicle on the roadway, yet drivers of passenger vehicles frequently fail to yield the motorcyclist’s right of way. In fact, we frequently see incidents where the driver of a passenger vehicle simply does not see an oncoming motorcycle, or misjudges its approaching speed, and turns directly into the path of the motorcyclist. The results are usually tragic.

One of the primary causes of the fatality rate in motorcyclists is the failure to wear a helmet. The NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,699 motorcyclists in 2012. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 781 lives could have been saved. Helmets are estimated to be 37% effective in preventing fatal injuries to motorcycle riders and 41% for motorcycle passengers. In other words, for every 100 motorcycle riders killed in crashes while not wearing helmets, 37 of them could have been saved had all 100 worn helmets.

Naples motorcycle lawyer Darrin M. Phillips has been protecting the rights of motorcycle accident victims in Naples and Southwest Florida for over 25 years. He is skilled in analyzing the many complex factors in your case and developing the proper theories of liability given your unique set of facts. He also has many years of expertise in dealing with the insurance companies and defense attorneys who will try to defend or deny your claim, and is prepared to take every step necessary to get you the recovery that you’re entitled to under the law, including presenting your case to a jury if necessary.