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A Car-Motorcycle Accident? Study Looks Into Who’s More Often At Fault

BIKLaw Medical Malpractice Lawyer > Car Accident > A Car-Motorcycle Accident? Study Looks Into Who’s More Often At Fault

Accidents involving a car and a motorcycle can have devastating consequences, usually for the motorcycle rider who doesn’t have the same kind of protection the driver of a car does. When it comes to who’s more often at fault in such accidents, motorcycle riders tend to point the finger at drivers of cars, while car drivers often feel motorcyclists are more often to blame.
 
A Florida Department of Transportation study published last year by researchers at the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research examined this issue. The researchers analyzed ten years of data related to Florida motorcycle accidents to determine who was more often at fault in car-motorcycle collisions.
 
The study found that car and truck drivers were 60 percent more likely to be at fault in collisions involving a motorcycle and another kind of vehicle. Such accidents often involved car drivers making left turns, pulling in front of motorcyclists going straight. Motorists also often failed to yield the right of way to motorcycles, and they tended not to expect to see motorcycles.
 
The study also found that motorcycle riders are involved in a significantly higher number of single-vehicle crashes, that is, crashes involving only the motorcycle and no other vehicle. While only 19 percent of car crashes involve one vehicle, 34 percent of motorcycle crashes were single-vehicle crashes.
 
So what should car drivers and motorcyclists do to reduce the risk of a car-motorcycle collision? According to the study’s lead researcher, drivers of cars need to be more aware of motorcyclists on the road and “Look Twice for Motorcycles”, while motorcyclists should make themselves more visible by wearing bright clothing.
 
If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident, Bradley I. Kramer and his experienced legal team are here to help you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.

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