Injuries and fatalities from motorcycle accidents in Virgnia continue to be high. According to the Virgnia Department of Motor Vehicles, 118 motorcycle drivers were killed in motorcycle accidents in 2023 and over 1,600 drivers were injured. Nearly half of those injuries were serious. What causes so many accidents?
Distracted driving
Distracted driving is responsible for many motorcycle accidents. Some examples of distractions include using a cell phone, adjusting a navigation system, eating, drinking or talking to a passenger or children in a vehicle.
These distractions can cause drivers to miss motorcyclists on the road, especially if the motorcyclists are in a driver’s blind spot.
Left turn accidents
Left turn accidents are common because of blind spots. As a motorcyclist, you may have ridden through an intersection and nearly collided with a left-turning vehicle, wondering how they didn’t see you.
It is easier to see larger vehicles, such as a car or truck, when making a left turn. But motorcycles are smaller, which makes it harder for drivers to motorcyclists.
Lane splitting
When you are stuck in stopped or slowed traffic, it could be tempting to engage in lane splitting. This involves riding between lanes of stopped vehicles to get through traffic.
Although this can help you avoid being stuck in traffic, lane splitting is illegal in Virgnia. Even if the negligence of another driver contributes to a motorcycle accident, if evidence shows you were lane splitting at the time, your compensation from a personal injury action could be reduced.
Knowing these common causes of accidents can help you be a safer motorcyclist while on Virgnia’s roads. If you are involved in an accident due to one of these causes, you could receive compensation for your damages by proving the driver was negligent.