Speed plays a crucial factor in the severity of motor vehicle accidents, and even more so in motorcycle accidents, as motorcyclists aren’t as protected as drivers in other types of vehicles.
In a motorcycle accident, a victim can suffer various types of injuries, often fatal, which are directly tied to the speed and force of the impact. Here is how speed has a major impact on motorcycle accidents:
Increased Risk of Accidents
If four-wheeled vehicles are among the most stable types of vehicles, then two-wheeled vehicles are on the opposite end. Motorcycles are far more vulnerable to speed-related crashes because of this. Higher driving speeds increase the risk of accidents since riders will have a reduced ability to maneuver their vehicles or react to potential hazards.
The stopping distance must be calculated differently, and since the time available to react is lessened, the risk of accidents is considerably higher.
Severity of Injuries
Speeding-related motorcycle accidents always result in more severe injuries or fatalities than in comparison with accidents at lower speeds. This is because the force of the impact is directly proportional to the speed of the moving objects. In other words, the higher the speed, the greater the forceful impact, resulting in severe injuries or death.
Speed as a Contributing Factor
Speeding is among the most common contributing factors in motor vehicle accidents worldwide, especially when it comes to motorcycle accidents. For example, in 2021, 33% of all motorcycle accidents that resulted in fatalities were due to speeding. Even though a rider can be accustomed to driving fast, this does not mean they will always escape unscathed, as speeding is similar to a game of Russian roulette. You cannot account for all the possible risks while on the road, and when you are driving fast, your reaction time is also severely reduced.
A tiny rock on the road can make you lose control if you hit it while speeding. Some riders use speeding as an intimidation factor to ensure that other road participants will “get out of the way” or let them pass, and even though this tactic works most of the time, it doesn’t always work. Some drivers might be too scared to react on time, not see you, or other negligent drivers can make reckless decisions and contribute to an accident that would have otherwise been prevented at lower speeds.
Road or weather conditions are also harder to mitigate if you drive fast on your motorcycle, leading to decreased visibility, slips, falls, and other issues.
Local Factors
Each region has its own unique set of characteristics that can impact the numbers related to speeding and motorcycle accident statistics. When it comes to South Florida, for example, the following factors influence the frequency and severity of motorcycle accidents:
- High population density (heavy traffic)
- Frequent tourist presence (many of which are unfamiliar with the roads and traffic conditions present, or they rent vehicles that they are unfamiliar with
- The mix of urban and rural areas, which come with different road conditions
