People who ride motorbikes or scooters are in a high-risk zone for accidents. Although there was a 30% drop in the number of motorbike accidents in 2020, down to 21,000, which may have largely due the Covid-19 lockdowns, it is still alarmingly high.

Motorcyclists are 62 times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident, representing an increase in the number of fatal motorcycle accidents over the past few years. The majority of motorcycle accidents are caused by negligence and in many cases not always the rider’s negligence. It could be down to potholes, debris or defects on the road surface, but this isn’t always the case.

Reasons why some non-fault motorbike accidents happen

Nobody wants to deal with a motorbike accident. However, they do happen and often it is not the motorcyclist’s fault. There are a number of external factors that can cause an accident.

1. Poorly maintained road surfaces – it could be potholes, slippery road surfaces, particularly in warm/hot weather, or debris/mud left on the road, a badly maintained road surface is a major problem for motorbikes. In these circumstances, you can claim for injuries to themselves as well as for damage to their property, i.e., the motorbike.
2. Negligence – this usually happens if the driver of the other vehicle collides with the motorbike, or another road user caused the motorcyclist to take immediate action to avoid the road user and therefore have an accident. In these incidents, it is generally because the other road user didn’t follow the Highway Code. If involved in an accident on the road due to the fault, or negligence, of another driver/road user, you are entitled to claim for compensation for any injuries as well as damage to the motorbike. However, it must be remembered that negligence claims can also work the other way in that it may be found the motorcyclist was at fault, which means the other road user can make a compensation claim.
3. Uninsured motorists – there are approximately 1 million uninsured drivers (road users) in the UK, meaning there is a much greater chance of being involved in an accident with an uninsured driver or rider of a motorbike/scooter.
4. Defective equipment/motorbike – if you have an accident and suffer injuries due to your equipment or motorbike being defective – this must be a manufactured defect, such as faulty steering, protective clothing or helmet – the manufacturer may be liable, and you are entitled to make a compensation claim as long as it can be proven that the manufacturer is at fault.
5. Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol – similar to negligence claims, if you have an accident with another driver or road user and suffered an injury, and it can be proven they were driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you are entitled to make a compensation claim not only for your injuries, but also for damage to your motorbike.

With any motorbike accident claim, it’s important to assess the situation and determine the circumstances of how the accident occurred. The level of compensation is subject to a number of factors, including the extent of the injuries suffered and damage to the motorbike or equipment. For help with a claim, get in touch with the leading motorbike accident solicitors, Sarah Waddington Solicitors.