Motorcycle Accidents often prove Fatal for Bucks County Riders and Passengers

In 2010, motorcycle accidents accounted for almost 18% of all fatal accidents in Pennsylvania. This percentage means a lot more when coupled with the fact that all motorcycle accidents in 2010 only accounted for 3.3% of the state's total accidents. What these statistics mean is that there are very few motorcycle accidents each year relative to total accidents, but a large number of these accidents are fatal. The trend continues in Bucks County, PA as many motorcycle accidents here result in fatalities, while there is only a small percentage of Bucks County residents who even own and ride motorcycles.

The reason motorcycles account for so few accidents is because there are not many people in the state who do actually ride motorcycles. In comparison, there are many more cars, trucks, and SUVs on Pennsylvania roads. This is true for Bucks County residents as well, as the majority of people do not drive motorcycles. With so few motorcyclists, it is quite alarming that so many motorcycle accidents result in fatalities in Pennsylvania.

Motorcyclists are not the only ones in danger. The number of motorcycle passenger deaths has increased in recent years; in 2010, 21 passengers were fatally injured in a motorcycle accident. Other drivers are also in danger of injuries and death in motorcycle accidents, as 1,170 two-vehicle collisions occurred when a motorcycle struck a car, truck, bus, or another motorcycle.

The most obvious reason for all of these fatal motorcycle accidents is the lack of safety that goes along with a motorcycle. A hairpin turn or even a pothole can lead to a motorcycle accident in the Philadelphia area. When an accident does happen, motorcyclists and passengers have no way to prevent themselves from being thrown from the vehicle and hitting the asphalt. There is no protective "shell" like a car provides, and there are no seatbelts. In Pennsylvania, there is no helmet law for motorcycle riders who are over the age of 21, and in 2010, 124 of those people who were killed in motorcycle accidents were not wearing a helmet. Even if an accident does not prove fatal, a helmet is a good way to protect your brain against such injuries as a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

If your loved one has been killed as the result of a motorcycle accident in the Philadelphia area, contact the personal injury lawyers at Saile & Saile LLP. Located in Bucks County, PA, we provide a FREE consultation as well as a FREE copy of our PA Car Accident Book.