Common causes of motorcycle accidents and top 5 countries with highest fatality rate

Did you know that motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die in a crash per vehicle compared to those driving cars?

As motorcyclists don't have a surrounding protective structure on their vehicles, they are more likely to suffer severe or fatal injuries when involved in a collision, reports an article on The Justice Attorneys.

Speeding is thought to be the most common cause of motorcycle accidents. It's dangerous as it gives the rider less time to see and avoid possible collisions. And, the higher the speed is, the injuries and the impact are likely to be more severe as well.

However, it's not the only cause of motorcycle injuries. Here are the other five most common causes of motorcycle accidents.

• Sudden stops: An abrupt stoppage on the road that the rider fails to see in time to avoid can cause serious injuries or even on occasion – death.
• Car doors: Often accidents can happen if the car drivers suddenly open the doors of their parked vehicles in the path of an oncoming motorcycle.  
• Lane splitting: Driving between two lanes of traffic is a common scenario on Bangladeshi roads. Although it's a frowned upon practice and a dangerous one at that, many over-excited riders irresponsibly do this and risk accidents.
• Driving under influence: It's perhaps the most notorious reason for motorcycle accidents and the prevalence of such incidents is extremely scary. In 2002, Bollywood actor Salman Khan ran over five persons sleeping on a pavement in Mumbai while driving his SUV under influence.
• Motorcycle defects: While buying second-hand motorcycles or not being thorough with one's research while purchase can result in ending up with vehicles with defects which in turn can pose a great risk of having accidents.

Motorcycle accidents depend on countries too. Some countries have stricter regulations in place to eliminate the risk of accidents which many other countries grossly lack. Many countries, on the other hand, despite having laws, fail to enforce them and lack awareness among the mass.

Here are the countries with the highest percentage of motorcycle-related deaths.

Dominican Republic – 67%

In this Caribbean country, over half of all vehicles (54%) are motorcycles and the use of a helmet is optional. The country had the highest fatality rate in road accidents in 2013.

Republic of Togo – 71.6%

The West African country has only 45,341 registered vehicles and the use of helmets isn't mandatory which plays a part in the countries a large number of fatalities involved in motorcycle crashes.

Cambodia – 73.5%

The country has about 2,714,913 registered motorcycles. Although helmet usage isn't mandatory here, some 70% of riders do wear helmets during the day. But there is a twist. That same percentage drops to about 43% at night, according to an article on the Bikes Republic.

Indonesia – 73.6%

The country is one of the biggest motorcycle markets in the world. However, the rate of helmet users is rather low, being about 71%, although more than half of the vehicles used are motorcycles.

Thailand – 74.4%

This particular country is infamous for having extremely dangerous roads. Almost 3 out of 4 deaths in road accidents are related to motorcycle crashes. The government is trying by encouraging the use of helmets but it hasn't been enough.

However, there are many other countries around the world with much less percentage of motorcycle-related deaths but tops the above-mentioned countries in the sheer numbers of deaths. For instance, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) estimate in 2013, some 98,700 motorcycle deaths happened in India which was closely followed by China.