There are more than 850,000 total registered motorcycles in the state of California, according to information available from the state Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). However, motorcyclists are incredibly vulnerable to severe injuries when an accident occurs. They simply do not have the same level of protection that passengers inside traditional vehicles have. Here, we want to review what percentage of motorcycle riders get into accidents.
When we examine the data provided by the California OTS, we can see that there were 853,368 total motorcycles registered in the state of California during the most recent reporting year of information on file. There are more registered motorcycles in the state of California than in any other state across the country.
Further examining the data shows us that during that same reporting year, there were 11,435 total motorcycle accident injuries and 539 motorcycle accident fatalities. The data from 2020 (information from 2021 was not available for this particular statistic) shows that there were 68.63 fatalities per 100,000 registered motorcycles.
Information available from national data sources shows that there were 6,084 total motorcyclist deaths in 2021. The data indicates that this was the highest number ever recorded and represented a 21% increase over 2019 figures. The information also shows that motorcycle deaths accounted for 14% of all motor vehicle crash fatalities in 2021.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that, per vehicle miles traveled in 2021, the fatality rate for motorcyclists was approximately 24 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants during the same time frame.
Those who do survive motorcycle accidents often sustain severe injuries as a result of the incident. Motorcyclists lack the same types of protections afforded to passenger vehicle occupants, and even motorcyclists wearing helmets can still sustain traumatic or fatal injuries. Some of the most common types of injuries associated with motorcycle accidents in California include the following:
A motorcycle accident injury can lead to significant setbacks for the injury victim. Not only do victims have to worry about the massive medical bills associated with these injuries, but they may not be able to carry out their day-to-day or job-related duties while they recover. That is why any motorcycle accident claim must take into consideration lost wages as well as household out-of-pocket expenses. If a motorcycle accident leaves a person with a long-lasting or permanent disability, other types of compensation must be factored in to account for these long-term expected expenses.
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a motorcycle accident caused by the negligent actions of another driver, you may need to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. A Newport motorcycle accident lawyer can guide you through the process of negotiating with insurance carriers and filing a personal injury lawsuit if it becomes necessary. The ultimate goal is to help you recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, property damages losses, and pain and suffering damages.