Houston Motorcycle Accident Attorney
If you have been harmed in a motorcycle accident, it is important to contact a Houston motorcycle accident attorney from Ben Bronston & Associates. Motorcycles are a popular form of transportation and millions of motorcycles travel on interstates, city streets and rural roads each day.

However, drivers in cars often are not aware of them and they are overlooked on the roadways. This can make sharing the roadways with passenger cars and commercial trucks difficult.

Motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to experience a deadly accident on the road than those in passenger cars, and about 11% of all roadway accidents in the U.S. involve motorcycles, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Motorcycle drivers are not as protected as other drivers in vehicles, which could lead to serious consequences after a crash. In 2012, 4,957 people died in motorcycle crashes, which was 7.1% more than the previous year, according to the NHTSA.

Motorcycle Accident Statistics
Motorcyclists are 25 times more likely to be killed in a roadway accident, and five times more likely to be injured. The danger for motorcyclists is substantially higher anytime they are on the road. Across the United States, 4,668 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2013 and an estimated 88,000 suffered injuries. Collisions in front caused 74% of the crashes, as opposed to crashes that happen from behind. Motorcyclists also are at a higher risk of death in collisions with fixed objects. Fixed objects were the cause of 22% of the fatal motorcycle crashes in 2013.

Across the United States, motorcyclists who are older are at a higher risk of being in an accident because of increased fragility and a lowered vision and reaction time. Older motorcyclists are also more likely to have larger bikes that, if rolled, could do more serious damage than smaller motorcycles.

However, younger motorcyclists tend to prefer faster motorcycles that are built for racing. Motorcyclists with motorcycles built for speed have a fatality rate that is 4 times higher than drivers of other types of motorcycles. Our Houston motorcycle accident lawyers have to often face the harsh reality that these injury cases are typically catastrophic, or even fatal.

Texas Motorcycle Accident Statistics

In 2016, Texas had the fifth largest number of registered motorcycles at 373,919. People are much more likely to buy a motorcycle if the weather is warm enough all year. Part of the reason Texas has more motorcycle accidents is the sheer number of cyclists on the road – both those who enjoy the year-long mild weather and those who see Texas as a motorcycling destination. Almost 374,000 registrations will raise the number of motorcycle accidents in Texas significantly.

Out of all vehicle fatalities on Texas roads, 16% involved motorcyclists. The rate of overall vehicle fatalities in Texas has been slowly going down in every category except motorcycles. Even though people of all ages own motorcycles, Texas’ DMV reported that males between the ages of 20 and 29 make up the largest number of motorcycle fatalities.

Lane Splitting Laws in Houston

Lane splitting is one of the most controversial aspects of motorcycling, and laws regarding it vary from state to state. It describes when motorcyclists drive between cars in slow traffic. Texas law prohibits drivers of any motor vehicle from passing another vehicle without going into a separate lane, making lane splitting illegal in Texas.

However, some are looking to change this law. At the end of 2016, a Texas senator introduced a bill that would allow Texas motorcyclists to split lanes. Motorcyclists would be able to drive between cars as long as traffic is moving slower than 20 miles-per-hour and the motorcycle was not going faster than five miles per hour faster than the speed of traffic. The bill failed to get through the legislature, but it succeeded in sparking a lively debate between motorcyclists and motor vehicle safety officials about whether the laws regarding lane splitting should change.

California became one of the first states to legalize lane splitting in the last few years. They claim that it is more dangerous to force a motorcycle to sit in stop-and-go traffic because there is a risk that distracted motor vehicle drivers would hit them. There are also many dangerous fumes coming from cars that the motorcyclists have to inhale if they are sitting in traffic.

It would also reduce the chances that a motorcyclist would become tired from constantly shifting and braking, which may cause the driver to be less alert and get in an accident. The lane splitting controversy in Texas is still an active part of discussions about motorcycle laws, and some advocates believe that California’s successful lane splitting will lead Texas lawmakers to be more open to legalizing the practice. Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys are available to speak with you if you have questions about a recent accident involving lane splitting.

Safety on a Motorcycle

It is undeniable that motorcyclists run a significantly higher risk of being injured or dying in an accident. If you own and ride a motorcycle, it is important to know how to stay safe while you are on the road. Here are some safety tips our Houston motorcycle accident lawyers suggest you follow to keep you safe when you ride.

• Take a Motorcycle Education Course. All states require that anyone wanting to drive a motorcycle gets the proper license. For most states, you need to take a written and skills test to be able to get a license. Similar to the requirements for a driver’s license, the written test will evaluate how much you know about the motorcycle laws and introduce situations that you may experience while riding a motorcycle. The skills test will involve driving the motorcycle through a variety of obstacles and under certain conditions that prove that you will be able to handle the vehicle on the road.Not only is a proper motorcycle license required by law, but it will ensure that you get the education that you need to be able to safely operate your motorcycle.
• Practice Driving Your Motorcycle. Along with taking the tests to obtain a proper motorcycle license, it is important to practice driving your motorcycle extensively before taking it out on the roads in traffic. Each motorcycle handles slightly differently and will require different tendencies from the driver. If you take the bike out without knowing exactly how it drives, you risk being surprised by strange quirks that the bike may have. You may need to press the brake extra hard and earlier than you would expect and not knowing that information could cause an accident on the road.
• Properly Maintain Your Motorcycles. Before you go anywhere with your motorcycle, be sure to check that everything is working on the bike. Check the tire pressure, hand and foot brakes, headlights, signal indicators, gas or oil leaks, and fluid levels. If you are carrying anything on your bike, double check that it is completely secure. If even the slightest thing goes wrong during your ride, the results could be catastrophic.
• Use Proper Positioning for a Passenger. If you are carrying a second person with you on the motorcycle, you must take necessary steps to ensure his or her safety. He or she should not get on the bike until the engine is on and running. Make sure that he or she is sitting as close to you as possible and holding on tight and that he or she uses the footrests for the entire ride.

Motorcycle Helmet Statistics

In 2013, motorcycle helmets saved 1,630 lives and could have saved 715 more if everyone wore helmets. Laws about motorcycle helmets vary by state, but 80% of Americans are in favor of motorcycle helmet laws that require all motorcyclists to wear helmets.

Of the motorcyclists who died in collisions, 8% were not wearing helmets in states that require helmets, whereas 59% of motorcycle fatalities involved people not wearing helmets in states that do not require them. Motorcycle helmets reduce the chance of head injury by 69% and the risk of death by 42%.

Texas Motorcycle Helmet Laws

According to Texas law, people who are 21 or older do not need to wear a helmet if they have completed a Motorcycle Operator Training Course or have at least $10,000 of insurance coverage. The law requires all riders under the age of 21 to wear helmets.

If you are purchasing a motorcycle helmet, be sure to get one that the U.S. Department of Transportation has certified. If the helmet has a DOT symbol on the outside back of the helmet, it meets the DOT standards and will be more effective in an accident. It is also important to either get a helmet that has a face shield or wear goggles so that dust or debris can’t get into your eyes and impair your vision.

Help with a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit in Houston

If you suffered injuries in a motorcycle accident because of someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. The Houston motorcycle accident attorneys at Ben Bronston & Associates are available to answer any of your legal questions regarding your lawsuit. Contact us today.