The most frequent cause of motorcycle accidents is another driver’s failure to see the motorcycle, leading to cars making left-hand turns directly into the rider’s path. This single scenario accounts for a significant portion of multi-vehicle crashes involving motorcycles.
Other common causes include drivers changing lanes improperly, speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence.
Proving another driver was at fault is difficult. Insurance companies investigate to argue you were partially to blame, even when their driver was the primary cause. Their business model requires them to balance paying claims with maintaining profitability, which makes the process an uphill battle. Building a strong case requires a thorough investigation and is the foundation for pursuing the maximum compensation available under the law.
If you have questions about your motorcycle accident, call Coates Law Office for a straightforward conversation about your situation. Our number is (603) 262-5766.
Key Takeaways for the Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
- The most common cause is another driver failing to see the motorcycle, especially during left-hand turns. This is a result of “inattentional blindness,” where a driver’s brain is conditioned to scan for larger vehicles and overlooks the smaller profile of a bike.
- Driver negligence, including speeding, distraction, or impairment, is a direct cause of many crashes. Legally, “not seeing” a rider is not a valid defense, as every driver has a duty of care to remain aware of all other vehicles on the road.
- The insurance company will try to assign you partial blame to reduce its payout. New Hampshire law uses a comparative negligence standard, meaning your final compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault.
Why Do So Many Drivers Fail to See Motorcycles?
The Core Problem: Inattentional Blindness
The human brain has a limited capacity for processing the immense amount of information it receives while driving. To cope, it creates mental shortcuts, filtering out what it deems non-essential.
This leads to a phenomenon called inattentional blindness, where a driver looks directly at something, like a motorcycle, but not truly “see” it because their brain is scanning for the more common shape of a car.
Research has shown that observers are twice as likely to fail to notice a motorcycle compared to a taxi in the same scene. The result is tragically predictable: statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that in two-vehicle crashes, 75% of motorcycles are struck in the front.
Common Scenarios Where Riders Are “Invisible”
This failure to see riders manifests in several high-risk situations:
- Left-Hand Turns: This is the single most dangerous situation for a motorcyclist. A driver turning left at an intersection either misjudges the motorcycle’s speed or simply doesn’t register its presence until it’s too late. These types of collisions are a leading cause of motorcycle crashes.
- Lane Changes: Drivers checking their mirrors and blind spots are conditioned to look for the bulk of a car or truck. They may fail to notice the slimmer profile of a motorcycle, leading to dangerous sideswipe accidents.
- Tailgating: Many drivers misjudge the stopping distance required for a motorcycle. They follow too closely, leaving no room to react if the rider needs to slow down or stop suddenly, resulting in a rear-end collision.
The Legal Responsibility: A Driver’s Duty of Care
On the road, every driver has a legal obligation known as a Duty of Care. Simply put, this is the responsibility to operate a vehicle with reasonable caution to prevent foreseeable harm to others. This duty extends to everyone sharing the road, including motorcyclists.
From a legal standpoint, “not seeing” a motorcycle is not a valid defense. A driver’s duty includes being aware of all other vehicles, regardless of their size. When a driver fails in this fundamental duty and causes a crash, their actions are considered negligence. This forms the legal basis for holding them accountable for the harm they have caused.
What Role Does Driver Negligence Play in These Crashes?
Inattentional blindness explains why a driver might not see you, but it doesn’t account for the countless accidents caused by outright carelessness. Beyond just overlooking a rider, specific negligent actions by other drivers are a frequent cause of motorcycle accidents.
Speeding and Aggressive Driving
Excessive speed dramatically reduces a driver’s reaction time, shortens their stopping distance, and magnifies the force of impact. When a car traveling at high speed collides with a motorcycle, the results are catastrophic. In a recent year, speeding was a factor in 35% of all fatal motorcycle crashes. On busy roads like Route 3 in New Hampshire, where traffic flow is fast, the risks associated with speeding are even greater.
Distracted Driving
While texting is the most notorious form of distracted driving, it is far from the only one. Any activity that takes a driver’s eyes, hands, or mind off the task of driving is a distraction. This includes adjusting a GPS, eating, interacting with passengers, or even being lost in thought. A moment of inattention is all it takes for a driver to drift into a motorcyclist’s lane or pull out in front of them.
Legally, the exact reason for the distraction is irrelevant; the act of failing to pay attention to the road is a breach of the driver’s duty of care.
Driving Under the Influence
Operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs severely impairs judgment, coordination, vision, and reaction time. For a motorcyclist, who relies on quick reflexes and the attentiveness of other drivers, an impaired driver is an immediate and lethal threat. National data shows that alcohol is a factor in a significant number of motorcycle fatalities.
Failure to Obey Traffic Laws
Many accidents are caused by drivers who simply ignore the established rules of the road. These violations put motorcyclists in direct peril and include actions such as:
- Running red lights and stop signs, leading to T-bone collisions at intersections.
- Making illegal U-turns without checking for oncoming traffic.
- Failing to yield the right-of-way to a motorcyclist who is legally proceeding.
- Passing unsafely, which forces a rider off the road or into another lane of traffic.
Are There Other Causes of Accidents Beyond Driver Error?
While the vast majority of motorcycle crashes involve another driver’s mistake, there are situations where other factors are the primary cause. It is our job to look at the accident from every angle.
Hazardous Road Conditions
Conditions that are a minor annoyance for a car are a direct cause of a motorcycle accident. This includes unmarked hazards like potholes, loose gravel from construction, uneven pavement, or poor road design with inadequate warnings for sharp curves.
- Who Is Responsible? In these situations, a government entity, such as a town, city, or state highway department, may be responsible for its failure to maintain the roadway in a safe condition.
- The Challenge: Pursuing a claim against a government body involves a different set of rules and much shorter deadlines than a standard personal injury claim. Navigating these specific procedures requires a clear understanding of sovereign immunity and the exceptions that allow for such claims.
Defective Motorcycle Parts (Product Liability)
Sometimes, the accident isn’t caused by a person but by a mechanical failure in the motorcycle itself. This could be anything from faulty brakes and defective tires to a flawed engine component that seizes at high speed.
- The Legal Concept: This area of law is known as product liability. It holds that the manufacturer, distributor, or seller of a defective product is responsible for any harm that the product causes. This is a form of strict liability, meaning you don’t have to prove the manufacturer was careless, only that the product was defective and caused your injury.
- How It’s Proven: These cases demand a deep, technical investigation. It requires hiring engineers and industry professionals to analyze the failed component and trace the defect back to a flaw in its design or manufacturing process.
Inclement Weather
While a sudden downpour or patch of fog cannot be blamed on a person, weather conditions change the responsibilities of every driver on the road. Drivers have a legal duty to adjust their behavior to match the conditions. This means slowing down in the rain, increasing following distance in fog, and being more cautious in high winds.
When a driver fails to make these adjustments and causes an accident, they are still held negligent for failing to operate their vehicle safely for the given conditions.
How Does the Law Look at the Rider’s Actions?
After a crash, it is common to worry about whether something you did could affect your ability to get compensation. This is a valid concern, as the other driver’s insurance company will be looking closely at your actions leading up to the accident.
The Insurance Company’s Investigation
The insurance company’s adjusters are trained to conduct a thorough investigation to protect the company’s financial interests. This means they will look for any evidence that could be used to argue you were partially at fault for the collision. They might ask pointed questions about your speed, your lane position, or whether you took appropriate evasive action. Their goal is to find a way to shift some of the blame onto you, thereby reducing the amount they may have to pay.
The Concept of Comparative Negligence
New Hampshire uses a legal doctrine called modified comparative negligence. Think of the total fault for an accident as a pie chart. The court will determine what percentage of the pie, or blame, belongs to each person involved.
You recover damages as long as your share of the fault is not 51% or more. However, your final compensation award will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
This is precisely why the insurance company’s arguments about your actions are so important. Our role is to build a case with strong, clear evidence to demonstrate the other driver’s negligence and ensure no amount of blame is unfairly placed on you.
Helmet Laws and Their Impact
While failing to wear a helmet does not cause an accident, an insurance company may try to argue that it made your injuries worse, particularly a head injury. This is known as the “avoidable consequences” doctrine, and it’s an attempt to reduce the compensation they are responsible for paying. We are prepared to counter these arguments by focusing on the cause of the crash itself.
Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Accident Causes
Does having less riding experience affect my claim?
No. A driver’s duty of care applies equally to all motorcyclists, whether they have been riding for ten days or ten years. While rider inexperience is sometimes a factor in single-vehicle accidents, it does not excuse another driver’s negligence in causing a multi-vehicle crash.
What if I was lane-splitting?
Lane-splitting—riding between lanes of slowed or stopped traffic—is not explicitly legal in New Hampshire. If you were lane-splitting at the time of the accident, the insurance company will almost certainly argue that you share fault. However, this does not automatically prevent you from recovering compensation, especially if the other driver was also negligent, for example, by making an unsafe lane change without signaling.
Can I still have a case if the police report puts me at fault?
Yes. A police report is an important piece of evidence, but it is not the final word on fault. The officer’s conclusion is an opinion based on the information available at the scene, which may be incomplete. We handle cases where our own detailed investigation uncovers evidence that contradicts the initial police report and tells a very different story about how the accident truly happened.
Let Us Uncover the True Cause of Your Accident
At Coates Law Office, we handle cases for riders throughout New Hampshire. We are familiar with the roads, the courts, and the unique challenges you face after a serious crash. Our work focuses on digging deep to find out what really happened and holding the responsible parties accountable.
We will handle the investigation and the insurance companies so you can focus on your recovery. Call us today for a no-cost consultation at (603) 262-5766.