7 Common Motorcycle Crashes and How to Avoid Them

What is the primary cause of motorcycle crashes involving another vehicle? Most often, a driver turning left in front of the rider. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 46% of fatal two-vehicle crashes involving a motorcycle and another type of vehicle in 2023, the other vehicle was turning left while the motorcycle was going straight, passing, or overtaking. Abraham Watkins sees left-turn collisions and the other common motorcycle crashes below on Houston roads all the time. If a driver’s mistake left you hurt, call (713) 222-7211 for a free consultation.

The stakes in Texas are high. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reports that 557 riders died and 2,468 were seriously injured in crashes in 2025, and that 37% of motorcycle deaths happen at a roadway intersection. Each of these crashes has a habit that lowers the risk, though no riding technique can make up for a driver who ignores the law.

1. A Driver Turns Left Across Your Path

Intersections are where cross traffic and turning drivers meet, and they are where many motorcycle crashes happen. Under Section 545.152 of the Texas Transportation Code, a driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic that is in the intersection or close enough to be an immediate hazard. A motorcycle is smaller than a car and easy to misjudge, which is why drivers turning across a rider’s path are such a common danger in Houston. Slowing near intersections and covering the brakes buys time if a driver turns anyway.

2. A Driver Changes Lanes Into You

Section 545.060 of the Transportation Code requires drivers to stay within a single lane as nearly as practical and to change lanes only when the move can be made safely. A driver who checks the mirror but not the blind spot can still drift into a rider. Spending as little time as possible beside a vehicle’s rear corner keeps you out of that blind spot.

3. You Are Rear-Ended in Stop-and-Go Traffic

Under Section 545.062 of the Transportation Code, a driver following another vehicle must keep an assured clear distance, enough to stop safely given the speed, traffic, and road conditions. TxDOT notes that motorcycles can slow down by downshifting, which does not turn on their brake lights. Tapping the brake while downshifting and watching the mirror at stops gives the driver behind you a warning. That warning matters even more when the vehicle behind you is a heavy truck that needs more room to stop, a risk that also comes up in truck accident claims.

4. A Collision While Lane Splitting

Lane splitting means riding between lanes of traffic moving in the same direction, and it is illegal in Texas. Section 545.0605 of the Transportation Code bars it, along with passing a vehicle in its own lane, while giving a motorcycle full use of a lane and allowing two motorcycles to ride side by side in one lane. Holding a lane position is both safer and legal.

Because lane splitting is illegal, a rider who was splitting lanes when another driver caused a crash can still be assigned part of the blame. Under Section 33.001 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, recovery is barred only when the injured person’s share of responsibility is greater than 50%, and a smaller share reduces the recovery by that percentage.

5. You Run Wide in a Curve

Texas requires drivers to slow to an appropriate speed when approaching and going around a curve. Entering too fast is what pushes a bike wide. Riders have their own terms for how a bike goes down: a low-side is when the bike slides out from under the rider, often after braking or leaning too hard mid-turn, and a high-side is when the rear tire loses grip and then catches, throwing the rider over the bike. Many riders call any fall laying it down. Braking before the turn, not in it, keeps the bike settled.

6. A Head-On or Wrong-Way Collision

A driver drifting over the center line, or passing on a two-lane road, leaves a rider almost no time to react. Riding in the part of the lane farthest from oncoming traffic and slowing early when headlights cross toward you widens the margin.

Head-on crashes are one kind of multi-vehicle collision, and those account for most motorcycle deaths. NHTSA reports that 6,335 motorcyclists were killed nationwide in 2023, and that 3,854 riders died in crashes involving more than one vehicle.

7. A Single-Bike Crash

Gravel, steel plates, standing water, and potholes can take away grip without warning. NHTSA reports that 24% of motorcycles in fatal crashes in 2023 hit fixed objects, compared with 16% of passenger cars. Speed and alcohol are common factors: that year, 36% of riders in fatal crashes were speeding, and 26% of riders killed were alcohol-impaired. Riding sober, matching speed to the road, and scanning the surface a few seconds ahead lower the risk.

Protective Gear Lowers the Stakes in Every Crash

Gear matters in every one of these crashes, and NHTSA reports that 35% of motorcyclists killed in 2023 were not wearing helmets. Texas requires a helmet unless a rider is at least 21 and has completed an approved safety course or carries qualifying health insurance, and our Texas motorcycle safety tips cover other protective gear.

Talk to Abraham Watkins After One of These Common Motorcycle Crashes

A crash can upend your health, your work, and your family in a moment. Abraham Watkins has represented injured Houstonians for 75 years, and our past results include settlements for riders hurt in motorcycle collisions. Our Houston motorcycle accident lawyers believe everyone deserves access to high-quality legal representation without an upfront cost.

If you were hurt in one of these common motorcycle crashes, an injury lawsuit generally must be filed within two years, so call (713) 222-7211 or contact us today for a free consultation.