The Physics of Motorcycle vs. Car Accidents

You can get a good idea of how an accident will work between a motorcycle and a car by simply looking at the differences in size, protection, and stability. There are a lot of factors that go into the severity of the injuries, and the simple physics of the collision can tell us a lot about why motorcycle accidents are so much more injurious than car accidents. Take a look below at some of the reasons that in an accident between a car and a motorcycle causes such serious issues for the motorcycle driver, and relatively few problems for the driver and passengers of the car.

If you have been in a motorcycle accident in Winter Park and have suffered injuries from your crash, contact the team at Abercrombie P.A. today to discuss your options for financial recovery. We have a history of successes with personal injury claims after motorcycle crashes, and will be happy to help you get the money you deserve. Schedule your free initial consultation today to get the process started immediately.

The Dangers of Driving a Motorcycle

Unfortunately, Florida is the most dangerous state in our country for motorcycle drivers. In no small part, this is because of a 2000 decision by the Florida Supreme Court to repeal a universal helmet law, which puts drivers at a much greater risk of traumatic brain injuries, facial injuries, and death.

Another big part of the danger of a motorcycle is the simple lack of protection available for a rider. Of course, there are helmets, riding suits, gloves, and body armor to protect against impacts to the head, or road rash during a crash, but there is nothing protecting the driver from impact-related injuries. Not only does the motorcycle passenger take the direct force of the object they are colliding with, they are also immediately thrown to the ground — in some cases, this means that there are two distinct impacts that the driver must be subjected to, and possibly more after hitting the ground.

An Object In Motion Tends To Stay In Motion

In a car, a driver or passenger will experience whiplash during an accident, because the car will come to an abrupt stop, and they will be held back by their seatbelt and the airbags. However, a motorcycle operator does not have a steel frame surrounding them. Instead, they can be ejected from the motorcycle and continue at the speed they were traveling at when their motorcycle was hit. After being ejected, they will either strike a larger object that brings them to a complete stop, or will skid and roll across pavement — each of these outcomes can cause serious injury.

For Every Action, An Equal and Opposite Reaction

Newton’s Third Law of Motion explains that while the forces in an action (the car crash) are equal between a car and motorcycle, the reaction (the force sent back into the vehicles) is also equal, but has more effect on the smaller object. This means that the same amount of force, when applied to a motorcycle (or it’s rider), will be significantly more damaging than the impact of the force applied to the car. In addition, a lot of the force from the reaction is dissipated across the frame of the car — something that they are designed to do — while there is little to no dissipation through the motorcycle frame before the reaction force hits the body.

At 25 mph, the passengers of a car will have very few injuries if they collide with a motorcycle. However, the injuries to the motorcycle rider and passenger can be deadly because of the force being applied directly to their body. Think of it this way: would you rather be sitting in a car that drives into a wall at 15 mph, or would you rather run directly into a wall at 15 mph?

Contact Abercrombie P.A. Today

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident in Winter Park, contact us today to discuss your options to seek damages through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. Our team will be happy to talk about your situation in a free initial consultation, where we can explain how we will help you get the justice you deserve based on the situation you are in.