Since 2007, 10 percent or more of all traffic fatalities in Georgia involved a motorcyclist. In that time, between 6 percent and 10 percent of those fatalities involved a motorcyclist who was not wearing a helmet.
The data, compiled by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in Georgia, shows that fatalities most commonly occur when the operator is between 20 and 29 years old.
Why motorcycles crash
Motorcycles are light, exposed to weather conditions and offer little protection if involved in a crash.
Although it is illegal to operate a motorcycle without a helmet in Georgia, many people do: 10 died in 2016 alone.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offered these statistics about motorcycle helmets:
- Helmets saves 1,859 lives in 2016
- Deaths and injuries to riders not wearing helmets tops $1 billion each year
- Helmets reduce the risk of death by 37 percent and the risk of head injury by 69 percent
Helmeted motorcyclists can stop from being statistics like these top reasons for fatal motorcycle crashes in Georgia:
- Driver lost control – 28 percent
- Exceeded speed limit – 11 percent
- Too fast for conditions – 11 percent
- DUI – 10 percent
- No contributing factor – 10 percent
- Wrong side of road – 7 percent
Other driver’s fault
A large number of accidents occur when drivers in cars, SUVs and trucks don’t see motorcycles, drive aggressively or drives inattentively – about one-third of motorcycle accidents occur when another driver turns in front of the motorcycle.
That’s why it is important for you to contact a qualified personal injury lawyer if you or someone you love has been in a motorcycle accident.
