Texas Injury Lawyers Blog
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
Motorcycle Accidents in Texas: Why Crashes Increase During Late Spring
As temperatures rise across Texas, more motorcyclists take to the road. Late spring and early summer are popular times for riding, whether it’s a daily commute, a weekend road trip, or simply enjoying the warmer weather.
Unfortunately, the same conditions that make riding more enjoyable also create more opportunities for serious crashes.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, thousands of motorcycle accidents occur in Texas each year, resulting in hundreds of deaths and serious injuries.
Why Motorcycle Accidents Increase in Late Spring
Several factors contribute to the increase in motorcycle crashes during late spring and early summer.
More Motorcycles on the Road
One of the biggest reasons is simple exposure. As temperatures warm up, riders who spent less time on the road during winter return to highways, city streets, and country roads.
At the same time, overall traffic volume increases. Families begin taking vacations, students leave school for the summer, and more people travel on weekends. The result is more vehicles and more motorcycles sharing the same roads.
More traffic naturally creates more opportunities for collisions.
Drivers Are Less Accustomed to Seeing Motorcycles
Motorcycles are present year-round in Texas, but many drivers spend the winter months encountering fewer riders on the road.
When motorcycle traffic suddenly increases in the spring, some drivers simply are not looking for them. A driver may check a mirror, glance at an intersection, or begin a lane change expecting to see only passenger vehicles.
Because motorcycles have a smaller visual profile, they are easier to overlook than cars or trucks. This contributes to many of the left-turn, lane-change, and merging accidents that occur during the spring riding season.
Holiday Travel and Recreational Riding Increase Risk
Late spring also marks the beginning of a busy travel season. Memorial Day weekend, summer vacations, festivals, and other outdoor events bring more drivers onto the road.
Many riders take longer recreational trips during this time of year, often traveling on unfamiliar roads or spending more hours in traffic than they normally would.
The combination of increased traffic, longer trips, and heavier motorcycle activity creates conditions where accidents become more common.
Driver Negligence Remains a Leading Cause
While weather and traffic patterns contribute to the seasonal increase, many motorcycle accidents are ultimately caused by driver negligence.
Common examples include:
- Failing to check blind spots before changing lanes
- Turning left in front of an approaching motorcycle
- Merging without noticing a nearby rider
- Misjudging a motorcycle’s speed or distance
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
One of the most common explanations after a motorcycle crash is, “I never saw the rider.”
But drivers have a legal duty to watch for all vehicles sharing the road, including motorcycles. Failing to see a motorcycle does not automatically excuse a driver from liability if reasonable care would have prevented the collision.
See Also:
Can You File a Claim After a Motorcycle Accident if the Driver “Didn’t See You”?
How Motorcycle Accident Claims Differ From Car Accident Cases
Motorcycle accident claims often present unique challenges compared to other traffic accidents.
One reason is the severity of injuries. Because motorcycles do not provide the same level of protection as passenger vehicles, riders are more likely to suffer serious injuries such as fractures, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and severe road rash.
These injuries often require extensive medical treatment, multiple surgeries, lengthy rehabilitation, and significant time away from work. As a result, motorcycle accident claims frequently involve substantially higher damages than a typical car accident case.
Motorcyclists may also face unfair assumptions during the claims process. Insurance companies sometimes try to portray riders as reckless or aggressive, even when another driver caused the crash.
Determining fault can also become more complicated. Drivers frequently claim they never saw the motorcycle, creating disputes about who was responsible and whether the collision could have been avoided.
When fault is disputed, evidence often becomes the difference between a successful claim and a denied one.
Important evidence may include:
- Police reports
- Witness statements
- Helmet camera footage
- Traffic camera recordings
- Accident reconstruction analysis
- Medical records
Strong documentation can help establish fault, preserve critical evidence, and demonstrate the full extent of a rider’s injuries.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident
The hours and days after a motorcycle crash can have a major impact on both your recovery and your injury claim. Taking the right steps early can help protect your health and preserve important evidence.
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident:
- Seek medical attention immediately
- Report the accident to law enforcement
- Take photos of the scene and vehicle damage
- Gather contact information from witnesses
- Keep records of medical treatment and expenses
- Speak with a personal injury attorney before discussing the case with insurance companies
Acting quickly can help preserve evidence that may become difficult to obtain later.
Injured in a Texas Motorcycle Accident? Call Shaw.
Motorcycles may be smaller than other vehicles, but riders have the same right to safely use Texas roads. If you or a loved one was injured in a motorcycle accident due to someone else’s negligence anywhere in Texas, you may be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs
- ER Treatment
- Surgeries
- Medical Bills
- Pain and Suffering
- Property Damage
- Missed Work
- Wrongful Death
- And More
We’ll help you find out for free.
Call Shaw at 800-862-1260 today or use the live chat to schedule your free case evaluation with one of our motorcycle accident attorneys. No fees, no obligations, just experienced legal guidance from a firm that puts clients first.
We look forward to serving you.