California Motorcycle Accident Statistics

California has a large motorcycle population; the largest volume of motorcyclists in the country. With our large motorcycle population, it’s inevitable that Southern California motorcycle accidents happen all the time. Unfortunately, statistics show that motorcycle accidents have been increasing over the years, especially in Los Angeles. While motorcycles make up just 3 percent of all registered vehicles in the US, they account for more than 14 percent of all traffic fatalities. 

California’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS) offers an interactive map summarizing motorcycle collisions by date and location. Here are the statistics by county for 2018:

 

• Riverside County Motorcycle Accidents: 718 total (33 fatal, 158 severe injuries, 302 visible injuries)
• Los Angeles County Motorcycle Accidents: 4121 total (97 fatal, 798 severe injuries, 1884 visible injuries)
• San Diego County Motorcycle Accidents: 1433 total (35 fatal, 281 severe injuries, 718 visible injuries)
• Orange County Motorcycle Accidents: 955 total (17 fatal, 189 severe injuries, 475 visible injuries)

Here are the statistics for cities surrounding the Temecula Valley:

• Temecula Motorcycle Accidents: 66 total (2 fatal, 7 severe injuries, and 29 visible injuries)
• Lake Elsinore Motorcycle Accidents: 12 total (3 fatal, 2 severe injuries, 5 visible injuries)
• Menifee Motorcycle Accidents: 18 total (1 fatal, 5 severe injuries, 5 visible injuries)
• Murrieta Motorcycle Accidents: 27 total (1 fatal, 6 severe injuries, 11 visible injuries)
• Wildomar Motorcycle Accidents: 10 total (0 fatal, 2 severe injuries, 5 visible injuries)

Legal Help for Motorcycle Injury Victims in Temecula Valley

California motorcycle accident attorney Dustin Maricic, Esq. helps victims who were injured in a motorcycle crash, or families who have lost a loved one in a motorcycle-involved accident.

With over a decade of experience, Attorney Dustin has won many personal injury lawsuits, specializing in auto accident injuries. He founded Maricic Law Firm with a true desire to help personal injury victims. As many previous clients have noted, Attorney Dustin is capable of winning maximum compensation because he truly cares for each client.

What are the Most Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents?

There are many risks involved in riding motorcycles on the crowded roads and freeways of Southern California. As all drivers are aware, motorcyclists are the least protected drivers on the road. Although motorcyclists must be very cautious with their driving, car and truck drivers also share the responsibility to be aware of any motorcyclists traveling on the roads near them. Some common causes of motorcycle accidents are:

• Cars Making Left Hand Turns
  • This situation accounts for roughly 42% of all motorcycle accidents. Usually, this happens when a motorcyclist is going straight through an intersection and a car turning left does not see the motorcyclist.
• Distracted Driving
  • According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “in 2017 alone, 3,166 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers.” Texting and driving has become the most prevalent form of distracted driving. The average driver takes their eyes off the road for approximately 5 seconds to send or read a text message. Within those 5 seconds, if the driver is driving around 55 MPH, it’s equivalent to them driving the length of a football field with their eyes closed. This statistic has an alarming consequence for motorcyclists in particular. If the drivers are unaware of motorcyclists around them, they can make a slight maneuver which may result in a serious injury or death to the motorcyclist.
• Unsafe Lane Changes
  • When a driver fails to check their blind spots before changing lanes, they may cut off a motorcyclist without providing enough time for the motorcycle rider to stop. Although the safety of lane splitting is debatable*, it can be a contributing factor when a driver of a car or truck does not see a motorcyclist coming up from behind them. Essentially, this can also be attributed to other drivers not being aware of motorcyclists in traffic.
  • *According to the Governors Highway Safety Administration, California is the only state to legally allow lane sharing/splitting. A study conducted in 2015 by the University of California Berkeley concluded that lane splitting is relatively safe at lower speeds.

Why Hire A Motorcycle Accident Personal Injury Lawyer?

There are countless things to consider for a motorcycle accident personal injury claim. As your chosen attorney, Maricic Law Firm will fight to recover the maximum compensation for you and handle all aspects of your accident lawsuit. The goal of a personal injury lawsuit for the victims or family is to ease the burden of the injuries by recovering financial compensation.

Damages you may recover include, but are not limited to:

Medical expenses, current and future lost wages, ongoing pain and suffering, repairing or replacing motorcycle and gear, scarring or other visible damages to your body, compensating the impact the injury has had on your quality of life.

What to Do After a California Motorcycle Accident:

Remember that many injuries do not immediately show symptoms. While it’s understandable that you feel shaken up after an accident, it’s important to remember to gather information that will be helpful to build your legal case later. Here’s a quick list of things to do:

We Provide Legal Assistance for Motorcycle Accident Personal Injuries

If you have been involved in a motorcycle wreck, you may be eligible for financial compensation to cover your medical bills, lost wages, and more. Contact us to schedule your free case evaluation with an experienced California motorcycle accident attorney today.

Other Areas Served:

San Bernardino Motorcycle Accident Attorney