The High Cost of Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycles have become an increasingly popular vehicle of choice for cheap transportation. Their comparatively low cost, increased fuel economy, speed, and maneuverability make them a welcome alternative to their more expensive four wheeled brethren. Aided by a struggling economy and an ever increasing cost of petroleum, motorcycles have seen a strong surge in sales over recent years, with more than 430,000 sold in 2010 alone. An unwelcome byproduct of these two wheeled vehicles however, is a dramatically increased level of danger in the event of an accident.

Statistically, motorcycle riders are thirty times more likely to be killed in a motorcycle crash when compared to automobile drivers, and in 2010, more than 4,500 riders lost their lives, along with another 82,000 who suffered varying degrees of injuries. According to estimates from the Government Accountability Office, such accidents can create a financial impact of as much as 16 billion dollars year. A typical fatal motorcycle accident incurs an estimated cost of $1.2 million, says the GAO, while non-fatal accidents can range in cost from $2,500 to $1.4 million.

To help bring down these substantial costs, the GAO has issued a recommendation calling for the mandatory use of motorcycle helmets, claiming that such legislation could help reduce the fatality rate in motorcycle accidents by as much as 39%. This accident prevention potential is corroborated by research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which said that motorcycle helmets prevented 1,550 deaths in 2010. Researchers from the US Center for Disease Control added that in preventing those 1,550 deaths, more than $3 billion was saved.

Despite these promising figures, motorcycle advocacy groups, like the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, are adamantly against mandatory helmet laws. In a statement released to the Associated Press, MRF vice president Jeff Hennie said that the group was both fully committed to proper motorcycle safety, and to preventing the creation of any federal helmet laws, claiming that such laws would not help to reduce motorcycle fatalities. The long standing goal of the foundation, so says the foundation itself, has been to promote education and training for motorcycle riders, though the high accident rate and increase number of motorcyclists on the road suggests that such measures are not enough to provide adequate safety into the future.

Thanks to pressure and lobbying efforts from the MRF and other motorcycling organizations like the American Motorcyclist Association, no federal helmet laws have yet been shown the light of day in Congress, and the NHTSA has even recently removed mandatory helmet laws from its “most wanted” safety improvements list, which is intended to “increase awareness of, and support for, the most critical changes needed to reduce transportation accidents and save lives”.

Law makers are still keen on the idea however, including the Governors Highway Safety Organization, which issued a press release praising the GAO’s recommendation, which called for the US Congress to give states more flexibility in the way in which funds designated for motorcycle safety can be used, and that the NHTSA should provide states with more comprehensive information about motorcycle accidents, and their damaging effects.

Regardless of whether or not these helmet laws are created and put into effect, accident statistics have clearly demonstrated that much work is needed to improve road safety for motorcycle drivers. As more and more motorists turn in their automobiles for these high speed bikes, the threat of danger will continue to increase, lest manufacturers, advocacy groups, and the federal government come together and conduct a comprehensive overall on safety policies and procedures.

Because of these high costs associated with motorcycle accidents, victims involved often find themselves in impossible financial situations, unable to the cover the expenses needed for their recovery. Fortunately, there are legal protections in place to aid those who have suffered damages, allowing them access to the compensation they deserve from those at fault. With the help of an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer, motorcyclists can be awarded the full amount that they are rightfully owed, setting them onto the road to recovery.