Motorcycle Accidents Caused By Design Flaws in the Vehicle

By nature, motorcycles are not nearly as safe as some of the other vehicles they share the road with. As Labor Day weekend approaches, it is important for all motorcycle riders to be more aware of the dangers they face on the road.

One major cause of motorcycle accidents that riders frequently overlook is flaws in the motorcycle design or manufacturing. Any tiny design flaw can be catastrophic because all motorcycles lack something known as crashworthiness.

Crashworthiness, Occupant Protection, and Motorcycles

Crashworthiness is a vehicle's ability to protect its occupants from injury in the event of a crash. When a vehicle crashes, the occupants are suddenly victim to many dangerous forces that are usually compensated by a vehicle's built-in protection mechanisms.

In a car, the following factors protect the occupant and make a vehicle crashworthy: 

• doors;
• the roof;
• seatbelts; and
• airbags  

A motorcycle has none of the above.  This, combined with the decreased stability of a two-wheel vehicle versus a four-wheel vehicle, makes the average motorcycle inherently more dangerous than a car. A motorcycle with a design flaw has a higher potential to be involved in a serious accident.

If you have been injured in a West Virginia motorcycle accident due to a design flaw in your vehicle, it would be in your best interest to contact and experienced West Virginia motorcycle accident attorney to discuss your legal options. You may be able to make a personal injury claim against the manufacturer of your vehicle and receive compensation for your pain and suffering. Contact the Clarksburg personal injury attorneys at The Miley Legal Group for a FREE consultation - (304) 326-1800