(U.S. Personal Injury Law and generally) Approximately 4,800 motorcyclists become traffic fatalities each year, and an additional 88,000 will be injured in highway accidents. This number is greatly disproportionate to other traffic accidents. In fact, motorcyclists are over five times more likely to die in an accident than people who are driving a passenger vehicle. Because of this, it is imperative to always wear a helmet and proper safety gear to reduce your odds of becoming a traffic fatality statistic. Although you will be at risk anywhere that you drive a motorcycle, the following cities have a higher than average rate of bike accidents.
1) West Palm Beach, Florida – Florida in general has a high overall accident rate for motorcyclists, but West Palm Beach is definitely an area where you will need to be especially careful. Not only is there a lot of traffic in the city, but the natural beauty of the area can cause drivers to become distracted. With all of these things to look out for it, it is no wonder that 350 people died while driving a motorcycle in Florida in 2010, leaving West Palm Beach injury lawyers busier than ever.
2) Las Vegas, Nevada – The bright lights of the Las Vegas Strip can cause anyone to become distracted and even disoriented, and when you combine that with a constant stream of traffic, it provides an environment that is extremely dangerous for motorcyclists and drivers of any other type of vehicle. Nevada averages almost 10 deaths annually for every 100,000 registered motorcycles, and that places it as one of the highest risk states for bike owners.
3) New Orleans, Louisiana – The Big Easy has a high concentration of motorcyclists and moped drivers, and this makes accidents very common. Approximately 10 percent of all fatal traffic accidents that occur in the area involve a motorcycle, and Louisiana is also ranked as one of the 12 worst states for motorcyclist safety. The heavy traffic congestion in New Orleans is definitely a leading cause of bike accidents, and the nonstop party attitude that takes over certain areas at night can also cause serious issues.
4) Baltimore, Maryland – An average year in the state of Maryland will include at least 1,800 motorcycle accidents, and many of them take place in or near Baltimore. These accidents are in part a natural extension of being in an area with a lot of traffic, but it is also likely that the unusual design of the city’s freeways causes a lot of issues for motorcycle drivers.
5) Atlanta, Georgia – Driving a motorcycle anywhere in Georgia is statistically riskier than the majority of the country. In fact, the odds of dying or being seriously injured in a motorcycle crash are approximately double the national average. Atlanta is a particularly dangerous area because of the heavy traffic congestion. The extremely hot summers can also influence motorcyclists to go for a ride without wearing enough protective gear.
If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. By taking proper legal action before your state’s statute of limitations runs out, you may be able to recoup all of your medical expenses. Even if your injury was not extremely serious, you should still ask an attorney for advice if you incurred any out-of-pocket expenses as a result of another person’s negligence.
Anthony Joseph is a freelance author who enjoys writing about interesting legal issues, and contributes this particular article to help promote safety on our roadways. Steinger, Iscoe & Greene are West Palm Beach injury lawyers who have represented hundreds of motorcycle accident victims. With a team of 26 lawyers, they have nearly endless resources and experience to bring to the table when defending you.