Every year in New Jersey, many motorcyclists are involved in motor vehicle accidents. Of those, many people suffer injuries, and some lose their lives. The problem exists not just within the state, but across the country as demonstrated by a statistical study compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2012.
The year reportedly resulted in 77 New Jersey motorcycle crash fatalities. Of those killed, 89 percent were wearing helmets while 11 percent were not. Even when people wear helmets, they have less protection than that afforded by the exterior structure of other types of motor vehicles, a fact underscored by the statistics that motorcyclists nationally accounted for 15 percent of all traffic fatalities and that motorcyclists were six times more likely to die than car passengers as the result of injuries sustained.
Nationally, 4,957 motorcyclists died as a result of injuries suffered in accidents, while 93,000 were injured. A number of causes contributed to motorcycle deaths and injuries, including inattentive driving and alcohol consumption. A great number of accidents occurred when motorcyclists collided with cars who were turning left in front of them.
When a motorcyclist is killed or injured in an accident due to the negligent conduct of another driver, the driver may face civil liability for the damages the families and victims suffer as a result. It is important that drivers remain aware of their surroundings at all times, paying special attention to motorcyclists who are more prone to being injured or killed in a motorcycle accident. In order to reduce the troubling statistics, all drivers and motorcyclists need to take care to pay attention.
Source: NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, “Traffic Safety Facts Motorcycles“, October 20, 2014