Phoenix Motorcycle Accident Chiropractor

Phoenix motorcycle collisions are a serious safety risk, especially for the many riders in our part of the country who are able to ride more frequently due to the amount of sunny days here in Arizona. Motorcycle accidents represent a prevalent event in Phoenix traffic, as well as the highways in Maricopa County. Phoenix, Arizona weather affords motorcyclists more riding time than many other states, which increases the number of bikes on the Arizona roads, highways, and byways. The end result is a high number of motorcycle accidents, crashes and collisions. Motorcycle accidents are a major concern for riders in the Phoenix and Maricopa county region as the environment of the traffic presents major safety issues.

Phoenix motorcycle crashes have common causes and devastating outcomes

Arizona laws allow motorcyclists to ride without a helmet and a preponderance of riders choose to enjoy this privilege. While helmets and modern updates to motorcycles by the manufacturers, such as anti-lock brakes, make motorcycling safer, operating a motorcycle is still much more risky than driving a car, truck or SUV. When a motorcycle versus motor vehicle collision occurs, obviously the motorcycle operator and their passenger are at greater risk of severe injury and/or even death, because they are not protected by a metal enclosed cockpit, nor do they have the advantage of safety belt protection.

Statistics show the dangers of Phoenix motorcycle crashes and fatalities

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that for every mile traveled in 2012, the number of deaths on motorcycles was more than 26 times the number of deaths in cars. Motorcycle deaths accounted for 13% of all motor vehicle crash deaths in 2013.

Common causes of Phoenix motorcycle crashes include:

• Vehicles turning left: Statistically, the most dangerous situation for a motorcyclist occurs when cars are making left-hand turns. These collisions account for 42% of all crashes between motorcycles and other vehicles.
• Head-on collisions: The vast majority of motorcycle crashes with cars occur when they collide head-on. These head-on crashes result in a higher fatality rate than other types of crashes.
• Lane Splitting: Lane splitting refers to when a motorcyclist drives between two lanes of cars, usually in heavy traffic when car movement is slowed or stopped.
• Speeding and alcohol impairment: Statistically, approximately half of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes have speeding and alcohol use as factors.
• Crashes between motorcycles and stationary objects: Motorcyclists crashing into fixed objects result in 25% of motorcyclist deaths.
• Road hazards: Hazards such as potholes, icy conditions, uneven lanes, and debris in the road pose significant dangers to motorcyclists.

Our View point on the common causes of motorcycle accidents

• When motorcyclist are at a red light waiting to turn left, or even traveling with oncoming traffic, and there is a car behind the motorcycle in line, the oncoming driver or opposing traffic driver is actually hard wired to not notice that the motorcycle is even there. The human brain picks up the visual of the car behind them and does not recognize the motorcycle. As crazy as that sounds, that is what the human brain visually detects.
  Head on collisions are devastating enough for opposing motor vehicles where the driver is essentially encased in a steel chamber, but they are exponentially more devastating for motorcycle operators and their passengers who are on two wheels enjoying the open air that motorcyclists love.
• Here in Phoenix, traffic lane splitters and traffic weavers are nothing but thrill seekers waiting for “their ticket to be punched” and present an unnecessary danger for themselves, as well as all other drivers and passengers on the roads they share.

• As to the speeding and alcohol dangers, this is self-explanatory and really needs no comment, unless you’ve been living under a rock for a long time!

• When one hears that motorcyclists hitting solid objects results in 25% of motorcycle deaths, one has to realize that often times a motorcyclist has attempted to avoid an oncoming crash only to find out that changing directions suddenly causes them to hit a solid object they were not counting on to be present in their escape route. Obviously, hitting a solid object on a motorcycle is just flat out more dangerous than if you did so in an enclosed vehicle with the added safety of seat belts.

• Road hazards are especially dangerous for motorcycle operators. When you hit a pot hole while operating a car, truck or sports utility vehicle you feel a slight bump and, typically, it doesn’t change your course of travel, but for motorcycle operators when you hit a pothole your whole world can change in a moment’s notice. Two wheels are much less stable than four wheels, especially in the situation of potholes and uneven pavement. By the way, uneven pavement presents a very dangerous scenario when construction is taking place and the pavement is at different heights while the workers lay down different layers as the job progresses.

• One of the worst hazards is when a motorcyclist has to deal with various sized pebbles, stones and the like after a rainfall. Four wheel vehicles can push the debris directly in the way of a turning motorcycle. For a motorcycle, it’s like trying to navigate the reverse of a pothole. It’s like stepping on a skate that you don’t notice while walking down your driveway.

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