West Chester, PA Motorcycle Accidents

The winding roads and historic landscape of West Chester make it the ideal choice for a relaxing motorcycle ride. Motorcyclists especially enjoy the Brandywine Loop because of the many scenic roadways along the Brandywine River or its tributaries. Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents are a reality of life for bikers —no matter how careful you are when riding, there’s no guarantee that the drivers you share the road with will be equally cautious.

When you’re injured in a motorcycle crash, it’s time to talk to the team at Kingbird Legal. We know that the odds are stacked against riders like you, and you deserve a fair shot at the compensation you are owed. Call us at 484-289-4880 to discuss your case with one of our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers now.

What You Need to Know About Pennsylvania Motorcycle Accidents

As a whole, motorcycle accidents are on the rise in Pennsylvania, but fatalities did decrease between 2021 and 2022. In 2022, there were 3,475 motorcycle collisions and 217 fatalities. That’s a significant drop from 226 in 2021. In the last five years, crashes have increased dramatically. There were just 2,714 motorcycle collisions in 2018, and the five-year peak occurred in 2021 with 3,580 crashes. Time will tell if crashes continue to decrease from 2021 numbers or if they start trending the wrong way again. Fatal collisions also peaked in 2021.

It’s also helpful to look at helmet usage data in West Chester and throughout Pennsylvania. Among the 217 fatalities in 2022, 107 riders were wearing helmets, 103 were not, and the status of seven were unknown. This is a roughly even split between helmet users and non-helmet users. However, among those who were not injured, helmet users made up 53% of the data pool. This indicates that helmet usage has a positive impact on your likelihood of injury.

Common Causes of West Chester, PA Motorcycle Collisions

Whether or not you’ve already been in a crash, knowing the common causes of accidents can help you in multiple ways. If you’re a new or veteran rider, this information can help you keep an eye out for dangerous behaviors and stay away from unsafe drivers. If you’ve been hurt in a crash, knowing the common triggers of crashes can help you figure out what went wrong in your accident. 

Some of the most for motorcycle crashes in the West Chester, PA area include:

• Distracted driving: Distracted driving is an issue across all types of vehicle collisions. When a driver is paying more attention to their passenger, phone, or food than they are to the road, devastation can follow.

• Speeding: Speeding makes it harder to stop in time for unexpected obstacles. This is perhaps the most common form of reckless driving, and unfortunately, it’s one of the most common.

• Inexperience: Inexperienced drivers simply do not have the knowledge or hands-on skills needed to respond to unexpected situations or obstacles. While a significant amount of driver training focuses on navigating safely around other cars, very little time is spent on driving safely around motorcyclists.

• Blind spots: Since motorcycles are considerably smaller than cars, which makes it much easier to miss them during a quick blind spot check. Many motorcycle accidents happen when a motorcyclist is passing through a driver’s blind spot.

• Right of way disagreements: The rules of right of way are fairly straightforward, but that doesn’t stop people from trying to save a few seconds by ignoring them. Drivers often underestimate motorcycles’ speed, so they think they have more time to sneak past them than they really do.

• Unsafe roads: Unsafe roads have a stronger effect on motorcycles than they do on larger vehicles. A small bump or hole in the road can be annoying to a car driver, but the same flaw can cause a motorcyclist to lose control of their bike.

Challenges with West Chester, PA Motorcycle Accident Claims

There are several challenges you may face as you try to pursue compensation after a motorcycle crash in West Chester. To start, you can’t ignore the bias against riders. While motorcycles have lost some stigma over the years, there’s still a widespread belief that riders are always reckless and careless. 

This belief often causes them to be blamed for any accident they’re involved in. This attitude goes all the way up to insurance companies and the courtroom, and you’ll need to overcome it if you want compensation.

Motorcycle accidents often result in severe injuries that tend to be very expensive. This can also lead to more time away from work, and as a result, greater losses overall. Trying to get an insurance company to pay out fair compensation in these circumstances is challenging, so make sure you choose an experienced and trial-tested attorney.

Motorcycle accidents often involve different mechanisms than car accidents. For example, left-turn accidents are very common among motorcycle crashes—but considerably less common among cars. Riders are prone to certain injuries that you rarely see in car accidents, including those caused by being thrown from your bike.

Why Choose Kingbird Legal?

When you work with Kingbird Legal, you can feel confident knowing that your case is in experienced hands. Our team knows how hard insurance companies fight to avoid paying after a motorcycle accident, and we are determined to help our clients get the compensation they deserve. We know the type of evidence needed to hold negligent drivers accountable and put insurance companies on the spot. While most motorcycle accident claims are settled out of court, we are ready to advocate for you in court if the insurance company refuses to negotiate fairly.

You have enough on your to-do list between getting your motorcycle repaired, recovering from your injuries, and handling the mental trauma that comes with a serious collision. Let us help you with the legal side of your accident.

Reach Out Today and Explore Your Legal Options

Kingbird Legal is ready to sit down with you and discuss your next steps after a motorcycle crash. Don’t fight the insurance company alone—we’re here to support you throughout this process. Reach out online or call us at 484-289-4880 to set up a consultation now.