What Causes Most Motorcycle Accidents in Texas?

Hildebrand & Wilson, LLP in Pearland, Texas - Image of a Motorcycle Accident

The state of Texas is home to the 6th largest population of registered motorcycles in the entire country.

Unfortunately, it's also home to the second-highest overall number of motorcycle accident fatalities, a disproportionate number based on registrations in comparison to other states.

While there are numerous safety programs in place within the state aimed at reducing these accidents, their injuries and fatalities, as well as the number of injury cases seen by motorcycle accident lawyers, it’s essential to first understand the causes of these accidents.

Success with motorcycle safety programs revolves around addressing the right problems.

Some Texas Motorcycle Statistics

In 2018, there were 349,082 registered motorcycles in Texas, the 6th highest count by state in the whole country.

There were 8,611 total motorcycle accidents in the state that accounted for all injuries.¹

According to the latest available data, there were a total of 499 motorcycle fatalities in Texas in 2017 and 51% of these fatalities involved riders who were not wearing helmets.²

Texas had the second-highest overall number of motorcycle fatalities other than the state of Florida that had 501 fatalities in 2017, with 587,499 registered vehicles, putting Texas at a much higher fatality percentage over all other states in comparison to actual vehicles.

What Are The Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents In Texas?

With so many accidents involving motorcycles in the state of Texas that resulted in accident claims and the need for assistance from attorneys who handle motorcycle accidents, it’s important to understand what causes many of these crashes so riders can learn to avoid these dangerous circumstances:

Distracted Riding - There is a lot going on and a lot to look out for when riding a motorcycle. Riders who fail to watch the road before them and anticipate what other vehicles might do are much more likely to end up in an accident.
Speeding - The faster a motorcycle is driven, the greater the possibility of losing control or crashing into another vehicle or stationary object.
Poor Road Conditions - Rain, ice, snow, and even wind can all make riding a motorcycle much more dangerous than it is on dry, clear roads; many riders choose to take the chance anyway.
Intoxication - Riding under the influence of alcohol or drugs makes handling a motorcycle and keeping it under control more difficult. Every year, there are many DWI accidents that affect riders, passengers, and other vehicles.
Reduced Visibility to Other Drivers - Because they are smaller, motorcycles are harder to see on the road. Being harder to see is the cause of numerous motorcycle crashes when drivers of other vehicles either turn in front of, sideswipe, or rear-end them.

Practice Defensive Riding to Prevent Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists are at a distinct disadvantage when sharing the roads with larger, more powerful vehicles.

Though it’s every driver’s responsibility to pay attention and do their part to prevent crashes, accident lawyers stress the need for motorcyclists to be especially diligent because many drivers just are not observant of motorcycles around them.

Should an accident occur, riders should enlist the assistance of an experienced motorcycle accident attorney who understands how these accidents occur and can present a strong case on behalf of their motorcyclist client!