Colorado Legal Digest – July 2025 Newsletter

Riding Safe: Tips For Preventing Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists are inherently in a more vulnerable situation on the roadways than someone driving an SUV or a pickup truck. Their rides are less stable and offer little protection in the event of a crash. Yet even veteran riders may be surprised — and alarmed — by the crash data regarding their favorite mode of transportation.

According to the National Safety Council, motorcycles account for only three percent of all registered vehicles in the United States and only 0.6 percent of all vehicle miles traveled. Yet motorcyclists account for fourteen percent of all traffic deaths, more than 5000 deaths a year. Eighty percent of all reported motorcycle accidents result in injury or death; based on the fatality rate per 100,000 vehicles registered, motorcyclists are four times more likely to be killed in a crash than car drivers.

At least some of the deadly collisions can be attributed to reckless behavior on the part of motorcycle operators, including speeding and drinking; alcohol is involved in 40 percent of single-vehicle fatal crashes by motorcyclists, and speeding is a factor in a third of motorcycle fatal crashes. But more often than not, motorcycle crashes are caused by non-motorcycle drivers, who are driving impaired or distracted, following too close, speeding — or who simply fail to see or yield to an approaching motorcycle. Given the degree to which motorcyclists are at risk from others’ carelessness, it’s essential for motorcyclists to drive not just defensively but with a high degree of vigilance at all times. In the unfortunate event of a motorcycle accident caused by someone else’s negligence, seeking guidance from a motorcycle accident lawyer in Colorado is crucial to protect your rights and seek compensation for your injuries.

What to Do if Involved in a Colorado Motorcycle Accident

Statistics show that motorcyclists are about 26 times more likely to die in auto injury accident, and 5 times more likely to be seriously injured. Motorcycles lack crashworthiness and substantial barriers for occupant protection, and are much lighter and much less stable than a typical automobile. Due to the much greater potential for death or serious injury associated with a motorcycle accident, motorcycle riders must be more protective of their own safety and more aware of their legal rights and options than other motorists.

How are Motorcycle Accidents Different?

In addition to the much greater potential for serious injury and death, motorcycle accidents present special problems and considerations not typically associated with normal car accidents. Some of the unique problems faced by motorcycles on the road include:

Colorado Motorcycle Helmet Laws

In Colorado, helmets are required by law for all motorcycle drivers and passengers under the age of 17. However, failure to wear a helmet can significantly reduce the amount that a motorcycle accident victim can recover in damages based the motorcyclist’s contributory negligence, if it can be shown that the absence of a helmet contributed to the victim’s injuries.

A helmet is by far the most important piece of equipment that a motorcyclist can wear. A helmetless rider is several times as likely to suffer a brain injury or die from trauma sustained to the head as a result of a motorcycle accident than riders who do wear helmets.