Motorcycle Safety Tips in Houston, TX
Motorcycles are considerably more difficult to operate safely than automobiles. They require physical skills, like balance, to stay upright while accelerating and cornering. On top of that, riders must know how to avoid dangerous situations and maneuver when those situations turn into emergencies.
Following motorcycle safety tips in Houston, TX, could save you from injury or death. However, a careless driver can still hit you, even when you do everything right.
Thankfully, after a crash, a Texas motorcycle accident lawyer from Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers can stand up to careless drivers and their insurers to help you obtain maximum compensation.
Contact our undefeated legal team at (888) 603-3636 for a free case review to learn more.
Table of Contents
- How Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers Can Help You After a Motorcycle Accident in Houston, TX
- How Many Motorcyclists Suffer Injuries in Texas?
- Safety Tips For Motorcyclists in Houston, Texas
- Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Our Undefeated Houston Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
How Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers Can Help You After a Motorcycle Accident in Houston, TX
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers has represented injured victims in Houston, Texas, since 2006. Our Houston motorcycle accident lawyers have recovered billions in compensation for our clients, including some of the largest settlements and court verdicts in state history.
Should you suffer an injury due to the negligent or wrongful actions of another, our attorneys will provide you with the following services:
- A free consultation in which we will listen to your story and review your options for seeking compensation
- A thorough investigation of your motorcycle collision to gather crucial evidence
- Submitting your insurance claim and negotiating with the adjuster to settle it
- Litigation against insurers and at-fault parties if your case does not settle
If you suffer a serious injury in a motorcycle accident, you can often trace the cause to careless, intoxicated, or distracted driving. Contact our record-setting Houston personal injury lawyers to discuss your motorcycle accident and how we can help you fight for compensation.
How Many Motorcyclists Suffer Injuries in Texas?
In 2022, 9,094 Texans were involved in motorcycle collisions, a number that includes 8,525 motorcycle operators and 569 motorcycle passengers.
Through the state’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS), you can construct a query focusing on motorcyclists injured in collisions with other motor vehicles.
When you eliminate single-vehicle crashes, motorcyclists hit by motor vehicles suffered the following injuries:
- 298 fatal injuries
- 962 serious injuries that required an ambulance
- 1,416 visible injuries that did not require an ambulance
- 788 complaints of pain or other symptoms
These numbers are shockingly high and make Texas the most dangerous state for motorcyclists based on deaths per 10,000 motorcycle registrations.
Safety Tips For Motorcyclists in Houston, Texas
Per mile traveled, motorcyclists are 24 times more likely to die in a collision and four times more likely to suffer an injury than vehicle occupants. Surprising as that may sound, these statistics are clear results of the nature of motorcycles themselves.
These bikes have a higher power-to-weight ratio than automobiles and are, therefore, more difficult to control. Drivers have more trouble seeing them than larger motor vehicles, and once a crash happens, motorcycles have no protective passenger compartment.
Some ways to overcome these inherent risks of motorcycles include the following:
Getting a Motorcycle License
Unlicensed motorcyclists are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash compared to licensed motorcyclists. Getting a motorcycle license does not instantaneously make you a safer rider. But to even get a Texas motorcycle license in the first place, you must pass a motorcycle safety course.
The course includes a classroom instruction component that teaches riders about their motorcycles and how to ride them safely. It also includes a hands-on component where riders put their lessons into practice.
Applicants must pass a written exam at the end of the classroom segment and a road test at the end of the hands-on segment. Afterward, they will receive a certificate of completion used by the Texas Department of Public Safety to issue the applicant’s license.
Wearing a Motorcycle Helmet
Helmets are proven to reduce the risk of injury or death. According to Texas motorcycle statistics, over 14% of helmeted riders walk away from their crashes unharmed. But only 13% of unhelmeted riders avoided injury or death. The difference might not seem large, but it represents over 90 riders who could have changed the outcome of their crashes.
Texas motorcycle helmet laws require all riders under 21 to wear a helmet. After reaching that age, they can ride without a helmet if they have taken the motorcycle safety course or have health insurance that will pay for any crash-related injuries.
Riding Sober
Impaired driving crashes that become fatal are more likely to involve a motorcycle than any other vehicle.
Consider the following statistics from the most recent Traffic Safety Facts report:
- 35% of fatal motorcycle crashes involved a rider with detectable alcohol
- 28% of fatal motorcycle crashes involved a legally drunk rider
- 28% of fatal car crashes involved a driver with detectable alcohol
- 24% of fatal car crashes involved a legally drunk driver
These stats do not mean motorcyclists are more likely to drink and drive. Instead, they highlight how drugs and alcohol have a greater effect on riding skills than driving skills. Drugs and alcohol affect both balance and coordination, both of which are key factors in motorcycle safety.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Our Undefeated Houston Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
Careless drivers can hit you even when you do everything correctly. If you are injured in a motorcycle crash, contact Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers to discuss your accident and learn how we can help you pursue maximum compensation.