Rear-end accidents are often what drivers think of as fender-benders. They happen at low speeds, no one really gets hurt, but the cars are both damaged and the drivers have to get out and exchange information.
If you’re on a motorcycle, though, that crash can be deadly.
Imagine that you stop at a red light in a pickup truck. The driver behind you sees the light turn red but decides that they want to look at their phone before fully stopping. They don’t stop in time and hit the back of your pickup at 20 miles per hour.
A jarring impact? Of course. But the frame and the truck bed protects you, and you walk away without a scratch. The truck even still drives.
Now imagine that the same thing happens when you’re on a motorcycle. There is no frame. There is no bed. Your bike, rather than getting a few dents and scratches, gets obliterated. The car knocks it down and then actually drives up on top of it. You’re thrown off to the side. Your head hits the concrete. You lose consciousness.
It’s the same exact crash for that driver behind you, but it’s so vastly different. You could have a serious head injury. You could be killed. That driver’s decision to look at their phone before fully stopping has far different ramifications, all based on your vehicle.
This is why motorcyclists really worry about rear-end crashes. They’re hard to avoid and incredibly dangerous. Those who get injured must know about all of their options to seek out financial compensation.