Texas Motorcycle Accident Statistics

Texas Motorcycle Accident Statistics Brought to You by Injury Attorney Michael Grossman

The following motorcycle accident statistics are a sobering reminder of the daily occurrence and severity of motorcycle wrecks in Texas:

Do you have a legal question?
Enter your phone number below and let's talk.
--
  • There are over 400,000 motorcyclists in Texas.
  • The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) reports that two-thirds of all Texas motorcycle accidents result in the serious injury or death of the motorcyclist.
  • 434 fatal motorcycle accidents occurred in 2009.
    • This equaled 14 percent of all traffic fatalities in Texas for that year.
  • Approximately 5,800 motorcycle riders or motorcycle passengers suffered injury in a motorcycle wreck in 2009.
  • 480 motorcyclists were killed in 2008.
    • 38% were wearing a helmet.
    • 38% were intoxicated at the time of the accident, i.e. BAC level greater than .08.
    • 46% had a BAC level of .01 or greater.
  • 375 motorcyclists died in fatal Texas motorcycle accidents in 2007.
    • 225 of those riders were not wearing helmets.
    • 146 of those riders had a blood alcohol content level in excess of .08%

General U.S. Motorcycle Accident Statistics

  • 5,290 motorcyclists died in 2008, a 2% increase in motorcycle fatalities from the previous year.
  • 96,000 motorcyclists suffered injury in 2008.
  • One-fourth of motorcycle riders killed in fatal motorcycle wrecks in 2008 had an invalid license.
  • In 2007, half of all fatal motorcycle accidents were single-vehicle “solo” motorcycle wrecks.
  • Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists have a 35 percent greater chance of being involved in a fatal accident than does a passenger vehicle driver.
  • 90% of motorcycle accidents involving cars occur on main roads, not highways, with a majority of accidents happening at intersections.

U.S. Motorcycle Helmet Use Stats

  • States that require the use of a helmet while operating a motorcycle saw a marked increase in helmet usage from 78% in 2008 to 86% in 2009.
  • The NHTSA estimated that helmet use saved the lives of 1,829 motorcyclists in 2008.
    • Another 823 could have been saved had all motorcyclists involved in a fatal motorcycle crash worn helmets that year.
  • Helmets are 37% effective in preventing fatal injury to a motorcycle rider.
  • Helmets are 41% effective in preventing fatal injury to a motorcycle passenger.
  • 20 U.S. States and the District of Columbia require motorcycle riders to wear helmets: Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
  • 27 U.S. States require only some motorcyclists to wear helmets: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
  • 3 U.S. States do not have motorcycle helmet use laws: Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire.

To The Texas Motorcycle Accident Law Firm Of Grossman Law Offices, You’re Not Just a Statistic

The numbers listed above speak to the tragedy that can ensue in the aftermath of a motorcycle wreck. They represent real people who have lost their lives of have suffered serious to severe injury as a result of a motorcycle crash in Texas or elsewhere in the United States.

Do you have a legal question?
Enter your phone number below and let's talk.
--

If you or a loved one have been involved in a motorcycle accident in Texas caused by another party’s negligent or reckless behavior, contact Texas motorcycle wreck attorney Michael Grossman to learn more about your legal options so that you or your family member, might be able to seek full and fair compensation for an injury or loss.

For a free legal consultation, call our toll-free number, 1-855-338-0170, at any time. We’ll be glad to answer your call and answer your questions.


Some of Our Most Recent Successful Cases
$350,000.00 Recovery - Wrongful Death / First Party Dram Shop
Our firm was hired by the minor child and parents of a young man who was killed in a motorcycle accident after being over served alcohol at a South Padre Island bar. The plaintiffs hired our firm to investigate the claim on the basis that the decedent was over the legal limit at the time of his death. In initial attempts to settle the case out of court, the defendants denied liability. Suit was filed soon thereafter.

The defendants initially argued that the decedent never consumed alcohol on their premises. Through physical evidence and deposition testimony to the contrary, we were able to conclusively prove that the decedent had indeed been drinking at the establishment.

The defendants then asserted allegations that the decedent's minor child was not actually his biological child, which would bar his claim entirely. A DNA test was performed and this argument was defeated.

The defendants then asserted the safe harbor defense. Our attorneys argued that the defendants did not qualify for safe harbor protection due to the fact that their servers were not all licensed providers. However, while this element was being addressed, our attorneys focused their attention on addressing the second element of the safe harbor defense regarding the bar's encouragement of the over service of alcohol. The defendants claimed that they would never serve the double-shot Bacardi cocktails that witnesses claimed the decedent drank several of. We sent private investigators into the bar to order the same drinks that the decedent consumed on the night of his death and the very same bar tenders who over served the decedent, without hesitation, served copious amounts of alcohol to the investigators, all of which was captured on hidden camera.

Once the safe harbor defense was defeated, the defendants argued that the decedent's BAC was low enough at the time of his death (as recorded by the hospital) that he would not have necessarily appeared obviously intoxicated to the servers and therefore the bar should not be held liable even if he had been over served. Eyewitness testimony refuted this.

Additionally, our firm's testifying medical expert reviewed the medical records related to the emergency helicopter flight that transported the decedent to the hospital after his accident. She determined that the EMS technicians administered numerous blood transfusions while in flight. Armed with this newfound data, our medical expert reverse extrapolated and determined conclusively that the decedent's BAC was actually in the range of .19-.21 at the time of the accident, though it was drastically diluted by the time he arrived at the hospital, which accounted for the relatively low BAC found in the hospital's medical records. This testimony proved to be pivotal in the case, resulting in a successful recovery for our clients.
Total Recovery:
$350,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$140,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$40,000.00
$97,500.00 Recovery - Wrongful Death / First-Party Dram Shop Accident
(policy limits were $100k) Recovery for wife of a motorcyclist who was killed in a drunk driving accident.
Total Recovery:
$97,500.00
Attorney Fees:
$48,750.00
Litigation Expenses:
$0.00
$350,000.00 Recovery - Product Liability (Back Injury Resulting in Surgery)
A young woman suffered a back injury that required corrective surgery following a boating accident. The boat in question sped out of control and crashed into a landmass, throwing our client from the boat, as the result of a stuck throttle. Upon inspection of the boat, it was determined that a poor design led to the malfunction and a product liability lawsuit was brought against the manufacturer. The defendants argued that the boat was inappropriately piloted, however, the physical evidence depicted the cause of the accident quite clearly and the case was successfully resolved.
Total Recovery:
$350,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$100,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$100.00
$100,000.00 Recovery - Motorcycle Accident (Broken Femur)
(policy limits) Recovery for victim who sustained a broken femur in a motorcycle accident.
Total Recovery:
$100,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$33,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$0.00
$125,055.00 Recovery - Automobile Accident (Back Injury Requiring Surgery)
Recovery for client who suffered a back injury resulting in surgery in a car accident.
Total Recovery:
$125,055.00
Attorney Fees:
$41,684.00
Litigation Expenses:
$435.00
$475,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident / Motorcycle Accident (Shoulder Injury Requiring Surgery)
An airline pilot suffered a shoulder injury resulting in surgery when he was sideswiped by an 18-wheeler. The case was resolved through litigation, as establishing liability was a contentious matter. The defendants claimed that the plaintiff made an illegal passing maneuver, but the evidence showed that the defendant made a sweeping turn and intruded upon our client's right of way.
Total Recovery:
$475,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$158,333.00
Litigation Expenses:
$5,000.00
$200,000.00 Recovery - Commercial Vehicle Accident (Back Injury Requiring Surgery)
Recovery for motorcyclist who suffered a back injury in an 18-wheeler accident.
Total Recovery:
$200,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$80,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$5,709.00
$93,000.00 Recovery - Motorcycle Accident (Soft-Tissue Injuries and Abrasions)
Recovered for victim of motorcycle accident who suffered soft tissue injuries and abrasions.
Total Recovery:
$93,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$31,000.00
Litigation Expenses:
$181.00
$100,000.00 Recovery - Motorcycle Accident (Neck, Back, and Knee Injury)
Recovery for a client who suffered neck, back, and knee injuries in a motor cycle accident.
Total Recovery:
$100,000.00
Attorney Fees:
$33,333.00
Litigation Expenses:
$627.00

"When I Lost My Father..."

Our Cases in the News





Fill out the form below and a legal professional will contact you shortly.

Full Name:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Describe your situation:

Click to Call

--
Enter your phone number above and click "Call Me" to talk to one of our lawyers about your potential case.

In Our Clients' Words

Recent Recoveries