It’s no secret that driving — or even riding on — a motorcycle comes with its fair share of risks. That is part of the thrill, after all. Those who choose to ride motorcycles accept those risks gladly because the joy of the experience makes it all worth it. Besides, there are safe ways to operate motorcycle; classes and licenses exist for that very reason.

However, due to the popularity of “cool” figures riding motorcycles in media, younger folks are becoming more and more interested in the hobby without much care for the education required to take part safely.

Older riders may not be as secure as they think either. It is far too easy for even experienced motorcyclists to forget just how many risks they face every time they go on the road, especially if they’ve never been in any sort of collision before. Confidence breeds comfort —— and that breeds carelessness.

Any sort of careless driving on a motorcycle can have deadly consequences, but even the safest of riders face unique dangers simply by virtue of not being in full cars. In other words, it’s not enough to be good at controlling your motorcycle. Horrific accidents can happen to anyone, at any time, and all we can do is stay aware and alert of our risks, options, and precautions.

Both ends of the age spectrum face unique dangers on motorcycles

Any time a motorcycle is involved in an accident, there’s a very good chance its driver has been seriously hurt or killed. In fact, more than 80% of all reported motorcycle crashes led to the motorcyclist specifically suffering catastrophic injuries or death. While a multitude of factors may contribute to a crash, the reason why these specific accidents are so dangerous is simply because motorcycles don’t offer the riders any actual protection in the case of a crash. Of course, this is why wearing a helmet is so important, but while helmets absolutely save lives, they can’t prevent the rest of the body from serious injury. Victims may even still suffer some form of traumatic brain injury — just less than they would’ve suffered with no protection at all.

Anyone who chooses to get on a motorcycle is accepting a fairly large amount of risk. That being said, there are groups of people who tend to end up in these deadly accidents more often than others. Many motorcycle accidents happen due to a lack of proper licensing. What group of people are least likely to have road experience while also most likely to display reckless behavior? Yes — unfortunately, our youngest citizens. Because you only have to be on a motorcycle to be in danger, this means even passengers of older, more experienced drivers are at risk. Motorcycle riders ages 13-19 have significantly higher odds of being severely injured in an accident than their older counterparts.

Seasoned vets of the road — you are not safe either. The age group with the most motorcycle-related fatalities is 50 and older, throughout the country. There are a few reasons this tends to happen, but a major reason is folks taking long hiatuses off riding motorcycles and then attempting to relive those days decades later without brushing up on any training. And, of course, they’re likely to forgo the use of a helmet since it hasn’t always been required. Reckless, impulsive actions lead to deadly consequences no matter how old someone is.

Ironically, both vulnerable groups are vulnerable partially because of their ages. Adolescents and more mature adults alike may have slower reflexes and lower agility, and both have bodies that tend to be easier to injure. All these factors together create perfect storms of catastrophic accidents.

Protecting yourself after a Knoxville motorcycle accident

As previously stated, even the safest and most cautious motorcyclists may still find themselves involved in a dangerous accident. It’s, sadly, not unusual for cars and trucks to simply neglect to notice motorcycles until it’s too late. Over half of fatal motorcycle crashes in 2019 involved another vehicle, and that doesn’t even factor in the unknown number of motorcycle crashes that lead to severe, life-altering injuries.

Victims from a motorcycle accident not only have to suffer their actual physical traumas, they also run the risk of being financially responsible for those injuries if they don’t take steps to hold the reckless parties accountable for their actions. Tennessee is a modified comparative negligence state, which means you can only collect damages if you’re less than 50% responsible for the accident — no matter how injured you are. This means, no matter how innocent you are, the other side will undoubtedly try to put as much responsibility and blame on you as possible to avoid paying. With the help of their attorneys and insurance companies, they are likely to succeed, especially because courts usually assume motorcyclists behaved recklessly on principle.

That is why anyone who has been injured in a motorcycle accident is urged to seek aggressive legal representation as soon as they can following medical treatment. Motorcycle accident cases can be incredibly complex but you deserve to have your situation investigated thoroughly and accurately, and you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Victims may suffer injuries that incur thousands and thousands in medical costs and therapies over the years that can completely bankrupt a family — all because another driver didn’t check their blind spot.

The Knoxville motorcycle accident attorneys at Banks & Jones are dedicated to taking as much weight off our clients’ shoulders as we can, as soon as we take them on. As riders ourselves, we know the risks you face – and we know how to help if you’ve been injured. Call us today at 865-546-2141  or use our contact form to start exploring your options.