The leading cause of motorcycle accidents in Washington involves other drivers failing to see motorcyclists and violating their right-of-way, particularly during left-turn maneuvers at intersections.
Despite stereotypes that unfairly blame riders for reckless behavior, accident data consistently shows that motorcyclists are victims of other road users' inattention, poor judgment, and dangerous driving actions.
Beyond driver negligence, motorcycle accidents also result from dangerous road conditions maintained by government entities and defective motorcycle parts that create product liability claims against manufacturers. Washington's comparative negligence laws allow recovery even when multiple parties share fault, but proper investigation and evidence preservation must happen quickly to protect your legal rights.
Pendergast Law has years of experience handling these types of cases and knows how to counter the bias riders face. If you have a question about your motorcycle accident, call us at (206) 620-0707.
Key Takeaways on the Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
- The leading cause of motorcycle accidents is other drivers' failure to see them. This happens due to inattentional blindness and misjudging the motorcycle's speed, making common situations like left turns exceptionally dangerous.
- Driver negligence is usually the root cause of a crash, not rider recklessness. Distracted driving, unsafe lane changes, and failing to check blind spots are common examples of negligence that lead to serious collisions.
- External factors or defective parts are also potential causes. A crash might result from dangerous road conditions maintained by a government entity or from a motorcycle component failure, which would shift liability to the manufacturer.
Why Do Other Drivers So Often Fail to See Motorcycles?
The phrase, "I just didn't see the motorcycle," is common after a crash. But that’s not an excuse; in fact, it could be evidence highlighting why they were negligent, and thus, legally responsible for a victim’s injuries.
"Inattentional Blindness": Looking But Not Seeing
There is a known cognitive phenomenon called inattentional blindness, where the brain becomes overloaded with stimuli and filters out objects it doesn't expect to see. A driver's brain is typically scanning for cars and trucks, the most common vehicles on the road. A motorcycle's slim profile is easily missed, similar to trying to find a specific book on a crowded shelf and your eyes may pass over it several times before it registers.
How a Car's A-Pillar Creates a Dangerous Blind Spot
The design of a car itself creates significant hazards. The A-pillar, which is the frame on either side of the windshield, is wide enough to completely hide a motorcycle from a driver's view. This is particularly dangerous as a driver approaches an intersection preparing to make a turn.
A reasonably prudent driver is expected to be aware of this limitation and take simple steps to mitigate it, like leaning forward or moving their head to "rock and roll" in their seat to look around this obstruction before proceeding. When they fail to take this small step, they breach their duty of care to other road users.
Misjudging a Motorcycle's Speed and Distance
Another common perception issue is a driver's inability to correctly judge how fast a motorcycle is approaching. Because of a motorcycle’s smaller size, it appears to be farther away or moving more slowly than it actually is. A driver might pull out into an intersection or change lanes, believing they have plenty of time to do so safely. In reality, they are creating an immediate and unavoidable hazard for the rider. This error in judgment is a form of negligence that leads to devastating consequences.
The Anatomy of a Crash: Common Scenarios Caused by Driver Negligence
Most motorcycle crashes involving another vehicle fit into a few common patterns. In almost all of these situations, the core issue is a car driver violating the motorcyclist's right-of-way. An investigation into the circumstances of the crash usually reveals a clear story of another's carelessness.
The Left-Hand Turn: The Single Most Dangerous Situation for a Rider
One of the most frequent and dangerous situations for a motorcyclist is when a car makes a left turn directly into their path. Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that this single scenario accounts for 46% of all fatal motorcycle accidents involving another vehicle.
This type of collision is a direct result of the perceptual issues mentioned earlier, such as inattentional blindness and a driver's flawed judgment of the motorcycle's speed and distance.
Unsafe Lane Changes and Merging
Drivers who change lanes or merge onto highways without thoroughly checking their blind spots pose a serious threat to motorcyclists. A motorcycle is small enough to be completely hidden in a standard car's blind spot. A driver who relies only on their mirrors without performing a physical head check (turning their head to look over their shoulder) is acting carelessly. That momentary lack of due diligence forces a rider off the road or into another vehicle.
Rear-End Collisions From Tailgating and Distracted Driving
A low-speed rear-end collision that might only cause a minor dent to a car's bumper is catastrophic for a motorcyclist, potentially throwing them from their bike into traffic. These collisions are frequently caused by distracted driving.
According to the NHTSA, sending or reading a single text takes a driver's eyes off the road for about five seconds, which is enough time to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph. A driver who is texting, adjusting the stereo, or otherwise not paying attention has a reduced reaction time and is less likely to notice a slowing or stopped motorcycle ahead.
"Dooring" Incidents in Seattle's Urban Traffic
In the dense traffic of Seattle, "dooring" is a specific and sudden hazard. This happens when a driver or passenger of a parked car opens their door into an active lane of traffic without first looking for oncoming vehicles, including motorcycles. Under Washington law, RCW 46.61.620, the person opening the door has a responsibility to ensure the way is clear before doing so. A failure to check is a clear-cut example of negligence.
When It’s Not Another Driver: Other Causes of Motorcycle Wrecks
Sometimes, the at-fault party isn't another driver on the road. Your accident may have been caused by factors entirely beyond your control, such as a poorly maintained road or a sudden mechanical failure on your bike. In these difficult cases, identifying the responsible party requires a different kind of investigation, one that looks beyond the immediate crash scene to find the root cause.
Dangerous Road Conditions and Government Liability
Public roads are not always as safe as they should be. Hazards like deep potholes, unmarked gravel patches from road work, oil spills from construction vehicles, or dangerously designed intersections easily cause a rider to lose control. When this happens, the city, county, or state government responsible for maintaining that road may be held liable.
These government bodies have a duty to keep public roads in a reasonably safe condition. However, bringing a claim against a government entity in Washington involves special rules and much shorter deadlines than a typical personal injury claim. For example, a formal notice of claim must be filed, and you must then wait at least 60 days before a lawsuit is started.
Defective Motorcycle Parts and Product Liability
Sometimes the cause of an accident lies with the motorcycle itself. Product liability law is a legal concept that holds manufacturers to a standard of safety. Simply put, a company has a legal duty to sell products that are safe when used as intended. If a component on your motorcycle failed and caused your crash, the manufacturer, distributor, or even the repair shop that installed it could be held responsible. Examples of this include:
- A tire that blows out due to a manufacturing defect.
- Brake failure caused by a faulty component.
- A flawed frame design that compromises the bike's stability.
Proving these cases requires detailed analysis from mechanical experts, but it is an avenue for holding corporations accountable for putting unsafe products on the market.
Countering the Narrative: How We Address Unfair Blame Against Riders
One of the biggest challenges for injured riders is the unfair bias that insurance companies and even juries may hold against them. The stereotype of the reckless biker is a persistent one.
Insurance adjusters are aware of this and might look for any opportunity to shift fault onto you as a way to reduce their company's payout. We anticipate these arguments and are prepared to counter them with objective evidence and facts.
The Myth of "Reckless Riding"
The Argument You'll Hear
The insurance company may suggest or outright claim you were speeding, weaving through traffic, or otherwise riding recklessly, typically without any evidence to support it. They rely on preconceived notions about motorcyclists to build their case against you.
How We Respond
We do not let stereotypes dictate the narrative. We build a case based on facts. This involves a careful analysis of the police report, tracking down and interviewing witnesses, and, when necessary, hiring accident reconstruction analysts.
We use information from the other vehicle's event data recorder ("black box") to establish its speed and braking activity just before the impact. Your own driving history and experience also paints an accurate picture of a responsible rider.
The Lane Splitting and Filtering Question in Washington
The Argument You'll Hear
If you were riding between lanes of slow or stopped traffic when the accident occurred, the insurance company will likely argue that you are automatically at fault for the crash.
How We Respond
First, we clarify the law in Washington. RCW 46.61.608 explicitly states that operating a motorcycle between lanes of traffic is illegal. However, that fact does not give another driver a free pass to act negligently.
If a driver made a sudden, unsignaled lane change and struck you, their negligence was a primary cause of the crash. We work to ensure that fault is apportioned correctly based on the most significant contributing factors.
The Conspicuity Argument: "You Weren't Visible Enough"
The Argument You'll Hear
The adjuster may claim that your dark clothing or a lack of reflective gear made you hard to see, and therefore you share some of the blame for the accident.
How We Respond
While high-visibility gear is always a good safety practice, it is not a legal requirement beyond what the law mandates. Washington law sets specific equipment standards for motorcycles, such as headlights that must be on at all times.
A driver has a fundamental duty to see what is there to be seen. We push back against these attempts to shift blame from the driver who was not paying adequate attention onto the rider they failed to see.
FAQ: Your Questions About Motorcycle Accident Causes
Does not wearing a helmet affect my injury claim in Washington?
While Washington law requires all riders and passengers to wear a DOT-approved helmet under RCW 46.37.530, failing to wear one does not prevent you from filing a claim for injuries caused by another person's negligence. However, the insurance company may argue to reduce any compensation related to a head injury. This is based on a legal concept called comparative negligence, where your final compensation may be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you.
Do I still have a case if I was in a single-vehicle accident?
Yes, it is possible. If your crash was caused by a "phantom vehicle" that cut you off and then fled the scene, you may be able to file a claim through your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) insurance policy.
Additionally, if your accident was the result of a dangerous road condition, such as a large unmarked pothole or loose gravel from a construction site, you might have a claim against the government entity responsible for maintaining the road.
The police report says I was partially at fault. Is my case over?
No, not at all. A police report is an officer's opinion based on an initial, and often brief, investigation at the scene. It is not the final word on liability. Police officers make mistakes or base their conclusions on incomplete information.
We conduct our own, more detailed investigation that uncovers evidence, such as video footage from nearby cameras or new witness testimony, to successfully challenge the conclusions in the police report.
How do you prove a mechanical failure caused my accident?
Proving a mechanical failure requires a specialized investigation. Our firm works with a network of forensic engineers and expert mechanics who meticulously examine the motorcycle's components. They identify design flaws, manufacturing defects, or errors made during maintenance or repairs. Their expert analysis and testimony provides the evidence needed to show that a third party, like a manufacturer or repair shop, is liable for your injuries.
Don't Let an Unfair Narrative Determine Your Recovery
After a motorcycle crash, you may be hearing a story that doesn't match what you experienced. The other driver, their insurance company, and even the initial police report might be pointing the finger at you.
The cause of a collision is rarely simple, and it is a mistake to accept an insurance adjuster's first offer or their initial assignment of fault. You might feel like it's your word against theirs, but a strong legal case is built on evidence, not assumptions. Our role is to conduct a deep investigation into every factor to build a case grounded in facts, not biker stereotypes.
Let's review the details of what happened together and secure the compensation you deserve. Call Pendergast Law today at (206) 620-0707.