Motorcyclists remain one of the most vulnerable sets of road users in the UK.
Despite motorcycles accounting for less than 1% of total road traffic, motorcyclists made up 21% of all road deaths in 2024, while thousands more suffered serious injuries. Unlike drivers and passengers in cars, motorcyclists have very little protection when a collision occurs.
Modern vehicles are designed with airbags, seatbelts, crumple zones, and reinforced passenger compartments. Riders, by comparison, rely largely on their skill, awareness, and protective clothing. Even relatively low-speed impacts can result in serious injuries, particularly when a rider is thrown from their motorcycle, and one of the most common causes of motorcycle collisions is simply not being seen.
Many accidents occur when a driver pulls out of a junction, changes lane, or turns across the path of an approaching motorcycle. Safety researchers often refer to this as the “looked but failed to see” phenomenon, where a driver looks in the rider’s direction but fails to properly register the motorcycle’s presence. This can be because motorcycles are smaller and narrower than cars, they can be harder to spot, especially in busy traffic or poor weather conditions.
While many accidents occur in urban areas, around 69% of motorcyclist fatalities happen on rural routes, despite only around 40% of motorcycle traffic taking place there. Higher speed limits, blind bends, hidden junctions, and changing road surfaces can all increase the likelihood of a serious collision.
Motorcycle accident patterns also differ from those of other road users, as many riders use motorcycles for leisure rather than commuting, meaning casualty figures often peak during weekends. The highest number of fatal and serious motorcycle collisions typically occurs between midday and late afternoon on Saturdays and Sundays.
Protective equipment can’t prevent an accident from happening, but it can play a crucial role in reducing the severity of injuries, and with head injuries remaining one of the leading causes of death in motorcycle accidents, wearing a properly fitted, approved helmet is one of the most important safety measures any rider can take, along with jackets, trousers, gloves, and boots, that can all make a substantial difference in an accident.
Motorcyclists are often unfairly blamed following a collision, even when another road user was responsible. However, riders have the same rights as any other road user when it comes to seeking compensation after an accident caused by someone else’s negligence.
Whether the collision involved a car, van, lorry, poorly maintained road surface, or another hazard, Acclaim Solicitors are here to advise on your next steps to take.
You can contact us by calling 01244 956434 or by filling in the contact form on our website.