Delaware Motorcycle Accident Laws and Statistics
Motorcycles are an inherently dangerous form of transportation. Consider the following motorcycle accident statistics for the state of Delaware, reported by the Governor’s Highway Traffic Safety Association: in 2006, motorcycle fatalities accounted for 8 percent of the state’s traffic fatalities, and eight of the 12 motorcyclists killed that year were not wearing helmets. If you have suffered personal injury or the tragic loss of a loved one in a motorcycle collision, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries, pain, and suffering. Proner & Proner’s team of experienced motorcycle accident attorneys can help. Serving Delaware and the entire United States, we are well-versed in both state and federal motorcycle laws. When you enlist the services of our team, we will utilize every resource to obtain the damages to which you are entitled.
Motorcycle Accident Law, Delaware
The law addresses a number of matters associated with a motorcycle accident injury:
Types of Injuries
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, a motorcycle crash can cause injuries ranging in severity from relatively minor ones (i.e. broken bones, concussion, and “road rash”) to catastrophic ones (i.e. back, burn, spinal cord, and brain injury and motorcycle accident death). Given motorcycles’ lack of crashworthiness, injuries tend to be severe.
Motorcycle Accident Compensation
When an injured motorcyclist can prove that the accident occurred because of someone else’s actions or negligence, the motorcyclist may be able to seek a motorcycle accident settlement. Depending on the particulars of the case, the settlement may include compensation for the victim’s medical expenses, lost wages, decreased earning potential, and additional losses.
Filing a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit
In order to have grounds for filing a motorcycle accident lawsuit, the victim must be able to prove the other party’s liability for the crash. Given the difficulty of this task, it is best for victims to hire an experienced motorcycle accident attorney. Only a lawyer with experience in this particular type of injury law can effectively handle all the issues involved in motorcycle accident claims, including insurance issues and state motorcycle laws.
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, our attorneys can help. We serve clients throughout Delaware. Contact our firm today to schedule a free case evaluation and learn more about the laws likely to impinge on your potential case.
Learn more about Delaware motorcycle accident laws.
Motorcycle Accident Statistics, Delaware
The following motorcycle accident statistics highlight accident trends in Delaware and the U.S. since 1998*:
- In 1998, 2,472 motorcyclists were killed, and an additional 50,000 wounded, in motorcycle accidents in the U.S. There were six motorcyclist fatalities per 10,000 registered vehicles that year – a rate nearly three times greater than that for passenger vehicle occupants.
- Between 2004 and 2006, the number of motorcycle fatalities in Delaware increased (from 8 in 2004 to 12 in 2006), as did the number of total motor vehicle fatalities (from 134 to 148).
- In 2005, there were approximately 21 motorcycle fatalities of the 18,987 registered motorcycles in Delaware that year.
- Of the 134 highway traffic fatalities in Delaware in 2005, 44 percent (59 deaths) involved driver impairment (drivers operating with a Blood Alcohol Concentration [BAC] of 0.08 or higher. Of these fatalities, 21 were motorcyclists, 67 percent of whom were helmeted, 10 of whom had a BAC of .01 or higher, and 11 of whom had no BAC.
- In 2007, 15 motorcyclists were killed in Delaware. Of these victims, 36 percent were wearing helmets, 21 percent were operating while with a BAC of .08 or higher, and 38 percent were operating with a BAC of 0.01 or higher.
- Delaware is one of 16 states requiring motorcyclists under a certain age to attend rider education courses; 17 maintaining a special riding enforcement campaign; and 18 having undergone a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration assessment of its motorcycle safety program.
Contact Our Motorcycle Accident Attorneys
If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash, our team can help. Contact Proner & Proner today to schedule a case review or learn more about motorcycle accident statistics. Our attorneys serve clients throughout Delaware. We will provide the aggressive legal counsel necessary to obtain damages for your injuries.
We serve motorcycle accident victims throughout Delaware, including the following cities:
- Wilmington
- Dover
- Newark
- Bear
- Middletown
- Brookside
- Glasgow
- Hockessin
- Pike Creek Valley
- Smyrna
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