Motorcyclists Suffer Most in Car Collisions

Riding a motorcycle is dangerous, even if you are a careful rider, wear a helmet and reflective gear and take every safety precaution. You just can’t control what other motorists will do. When motorcycles are involved in crashes with automobiles, the rider is most likely to suffer the worst injuries.

Twenty-nine-year-old Chad Brown of Norman was killed in a car and motorcycle collision involving an alleged drunk driver early May 4 near West State Highway 9 and the northbound Interstate 35 on-ramp, according to a News9.com article.

When police arrived, they found the cyclist lying in a grassy area next to the road with serious injuries, according to the article. He was taken to Norman Regional Hospital for treatment of severe injuries and later died.

The driver of a sport utility vehicle, 24-year-old Kaitlyn Romo of Weslaco, Texas, was charged with manslaughter and DUI, according to The Norman Transcript.

More likely to suffer

Without the protective shield of a passenger vehicle, motorcyclists are vulnerable to serious injuries when involved in crashes.

In 2013, Oklahoma reported 92 motorcyclist fatalities, up from 84 the previous year, and more than the average 84.4 annually over the last decade of reporting, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Nationwide, motorcyclists made up 15 percent of crash deaths in 2012 even though motorcycles accounted for only 3 percent of registered vehicles in the nation. Based on miles traveled, motorcyclists were 26 times more likely to be killed in a crash than passenger car occupants and five times more likely to sustain injuries, NHTSA figures show.

In 75 percent of two-vehicle crashes, motorcycles crashed into vehicles in front of them, while 7 percent were hit in the rear. Vehicles were turning left while motorcycles were traveling straight, passing or overtaking them in 41 percent of the crashes. In 23 percent of the wrecks, the vehicles were traveling straight when the crash occurred.

Seek legal help

It is safe to say many collisions involving motorcycles and passenger cars occur because drivers looking for larger vehicles and overlook motorcyclists.

Although the circumstances leading up to the recent fatal motorcycle-SUV crash in Norman remain under investigation, the SUV driver face serious criminal charges. In addition to being criminally prosecuted, a drunk driver can be held liable through a civil wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of the person who is killed.

Any serious accident involving alcohol is a preventable accident. A wrongful death lawsuit focuses attention on highway safety and sends a clear message that the at-fault party’s disregard for safety was outrageous and intolerable in a civilized society.

If you or a loved one has hurt in a motorcycle crash, contact a Norman motorcycle accident attorney experienced with handling personal injury claims involving motorcycles. You will need someone who knows how to guide you through the legal system to make sure you receive the award you deserve for pain, losses, injuries or mental anguish.