San Diego Motorcycle Injury Attorneys

Welcome to the California Motorcycle Injury Law website. The San Diego motorcycle accident attorneys with Casey Gerry created this site especially for people who have suffered a motorcycle injury. The first motorcycle was offered for sale in 1894, and a century-plus later, more than 4 million motorcycles are registered in the United States. Motorcycles are usually cheaper than a car, they're fun to drive, and they symbolize freedom and an American love of the open road. As the price of gas has risen, they've also become increasingly popular for their excellent fuel efficiency.

The downside risk of motorcycles is their safety record. Motorcycles comprise just two percent of all registered vehicles in the United States, yet approximately five percent of all highway fatalities each year involve motorcyclists and their passengers. The risk of serious injury and death for motorcyclists in collisions with cars and trucks is significantly higher than the risk to drivers and passengers in cars.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that per mile traveled in 2006, the number of deaths on motorcycles was about 35 times the number in cars. Since 1997, the all-time low year for motorcyclist deaths, fatalities for motorcyclists and their passengers have risen sharply, more than doubling by 2006. In 2004, more than 76,000 motorcyclists were injured in collisions, and more than 4000 died. In California the fatality rate is 6.4 deaths per 10,000 registered motorcyclists.

The chief reason motorcyclists are killed and severely injured in crashes is that the motorcycle itself provides virtually no protection in a crash. An automobile provides structural protection in the form of a steel cage surrounding the occupants, and passenger restraint systems like seatbelts and airbags. A car also has greater stability because it rides on four wheels. A motorcycle's smaller size means that is harder to see; many crashes occur because the driver of the other vehicle did not see the motorcycle.

Even when motorcyclists and their passengers wear helmets and protective clothing, they may suffer injuries from motorcycle accidents that result from faulty highway design or from defects in their safety equipment. Some motorcycle injuries and fatalities are caused by malfunction of the motorcycle, or poor vehicle design.

For anyone owning and operating a motorcycle, safety should be an extremely important concern. Wearing a helmet is the single most effective measure for motorcyclists and their passengers to increase their odds of surviving a collision, and to reduce the risk of a traumatic brain injury. Twenty states and the District of Columbia have helmet laws covering all riders, and 27 states have laws covering some riders, usually people younger than 18. Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire do not have helmet laws.

If you or a loved one has recently sustained a motorcycle injury, you will want to learn more about your rights. On this site, After a serious motorcycle injury and should you consider legal action? can help you think through the new financial burdens you face, and your options for funding them.