The Top Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents And How To Avoid Them

Although recent years have brought increasingly better safety statistics for motorists driving in cars across America, the news has not been as positive for motorcyclists: the rate of motorcycle related deaths doubled within a ten year span, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While simply being aware of the rules of the road and avoiding potentially dangerous situations can help, experts and researchers who have studied the increasing accidents have discovered other problems lending to the deathly incidents. Once you are aware of these potential issues that may face you on the road (or even potential defects within your own motorcycle), you'll be able to increase your safety while riding. Take the time today to think about the following issues and consider what steps you might take to ensure your own safety during your next trip:

Protecting the Most Important Part of Your Body

While every single part of your body is important and would be greatly missed in your day to day life, there is one part of your body that you can't possibly live without: your head. That may seem like a silly observation, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration pointed out a very important fact after their 2008 research: not only were over 1,500 lives saved as a result of those wearing helmets, but an additional 800 lives of those involved in motorcycle accidents could have been saved if a helmet had been worn.

Since it's obvious that your head is the most important part of your body to protect, wearing a helmet is a small price to pay. Additionally, the NHTSA points out that the worry of most who avoid helmets is unfounded: wearing a helmet does not restrict vision or hearing when riding.

The Problem of "Speed Wobble"

If the air in one of your tires is significantly lower than the other, you may experience a wobble occurring in the front of your motorcycle when traveling at higher speeds. If you experience this phenomenon, pull over and inspect the bike (and fill the tires with the needed amount of air) as soon as possible. Driving with a wobbling front end can cause immediate and unexpected accidents, pulling the bike out from underneath you—so it's extremely important to face the issue as soon as it presents itself.

If you've already checked the tire pressure and any other potential issues, there might be a manufacturing issue with your bike. If you've experienced an accident as a result of a faulty motorcycle, you might be eligible to pursue legal action and monetary compensation against the manufacturer. Contact a motorcycle accident attorney to learn what you can do in your specific situation.