Motorcyclist Hit by Car: Distracted Driving and Motorcycle Accidents

Distracted driving is a serious threat to every motorist on the roadway, and an extreme hazard for motorcycle riders. While passenger vehicle occupants have the protection of an enclosed vehicle, motorcyclists lack that protection. A motorcyclist hit by car can sustain serious, catastrophic, and even fatal injuries in accidents caused by distracted drivers.

A landmark research study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute concluded that driver inattention was indeed the most common cause of all crashes and near crashes in the United States. The report concluded that, “Nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event,” with cell phone use being a primary source of driver inattention. The report found that 3,179 people were killed and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicles accidents involving distracted drivers in a recent year. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also reported that a total of 4,295 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes that year, accounting for 13% of all traffic fatalities, which means that hundreds if not thousands of motorcyclists are dying as a result of motorists texting while driving each year.