Motorcycle Accidents

Tennessee, especially Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee, is blessed with thousands of miles of roadways that are perfect for motorcycle riding. From the leisurely, gentle curves of the Natchez Trace Parkway that winds through southern Middle Tennessee to the gorgeous views along U.S. Route 129 in East Tennessee, the state offers lots of opportunities to motorcyclists to enjoy its beauty.

Unfortunately, all too many motorists do not maintain a proper lookout for motorcyclists. In 2008, there were 5290 fatalities of motorcycle riders in the United States. There were also 96,000 people injured in motorcycle crashes.

41% of those who died were not wearing a helmet.

In Tennessee, 138 people died in motorcycle crashes in 2010, a slight increase from one year earlier when 122 lost their lives in motorcycle wrecks.

Motorcyclists were about 37 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash when one compares the death rate per vehicle mile traveled. (This is a 2007 statistic.) Using the same analysis, a motorcyclist was 9 times more likely to be injured in a crash than a passenger car occupant.

An analysis of the types of crashes that result in death to motorcyclists:

• 47% of fatal crashes involve another moving vehicle, with 75% of those crashes being frontal impacts and 7% of them being from the rear
• 25 % of the fatal crashes involve collisions with fixed objects.
• Of the crashes involving two vehicles, 41% of the crashes involved the other vehicle turning left in front of the motorcycle.
• In 35% of deaths it was felt that the motorcycle was speeding.

Tennessee statistics tell a similar story. Each year Tennessee has approximately 3,000 motorcycle crashes. Approximately 140 people are killed and 2,500 people are injured. Surprisingly, almost 80% of those who died were wearing a helmet - the number of brain injuries among those who were not wearing a helmet is unknown.

The attorneys at the Law Offices of John Day, P.C. have represented motorcycle riders for decades and have a solid understanding of the special laws applicable in motorcycle accident cases. Contact us if you would like to discuss a potential case, free of charge.