Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents in Ohio

Motorcycle crashes come in all shapes and sizes—none of them good. Some happen in the blink of an eye; others unfold slowly, like a bad decision you can’t undo. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of motorcycle accidents Ohio riders encounter:

• Left-Turn Accidents: A driver turns left at an intersection, cutting directly into a motorcyclist’s path. These crashes happen because drivers misjudge the bike’s speed or don’t see it at all. The Ohio Revised Code § 4511.42 requires drivers to yield the right of way when turning left, but that doesn’t always stop them from making deadly mistakes.
• Head-On Collisions: A vehicle drifts across the center line or enters the wrong lane, slamming into a motorcyclist going the opposite direction. Given the physics involved, these collisions nearly always cause devastating injuries. Two tons of steel meeting a few hundred pounds of bike doesn’t leave much room for luck.
• Rear-End Collisions: A distracted driver fails to stop and plows into a motorcycle from behind. Unlike drivers in cars, motorcyclists don’t have the luxury of bumpers or airbags. Even a slow-speed tap at a stoplight can launch a rider into traffic or onto the pavement.
• Lane-Change Crashes: Ever been riding next to a car when it suddenly swerved into your lane? Blind spots and careless lane changes lead to these wrecks. Ohio law (§ 4511.33) makes improper lane changes illegal, but that doesn’t stop inattentive drivers from playing bumper cars with motorcycles.
• Dooring: A parked driver opens their car door into the path of an oncoming motorcycle. This one shows up a lot in city riding, where narrow streets and parallel parking are the norm. The sudden impact can throw a rider into traffic or directly onto the asphalt.
• Single-Vehicle Accidents: Not every crash involves another car. Bad weather, potholes, loose gravel, or mechanical failure can cause a rider to lose control. While these accidents are sometimes chalked up to rider error, poor road maintenance is often to blame. Under Ohio law (§ 2744.02), certain government agencies may be liable for dangerous road conditions if they failed to address known hazards.

Common Injuries from Motorcycle Accidents

When a motorcycle crash happens, injuries aren’t measured in bruises and bumps. They’re measured in broken bones, surgeries, and rehab sessions that drag on for months—sometimes years. These are some of the most common injuries riders suffer in Ohio crashes:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Whether or not a rider wears a helmet, the force of impact can cause serious brain trauma. TBIs range from concussions to life-altering brain damage that affects speech, memory, and personality.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: A severed or damaged spinal cord can lead to partial or full paralysis. These injuries change everything, from mobility to independence.
• Broken Bones and Fractures: Wrists, arms, legs, ribs—you name it. Riders instinctively throw their arms out to brace for a fall, which makes wrist and arm fractures especially common.
• Road Rash: Skin meets pavement, and the pavement always wins. Severe road rash can grind away layers of skin, leaving deep wounds prone to infection and scarring.
• Internal Injuries: Blunt-force trauma can rupture organs and cause internal bleeding. These injuries may not be obvious at first but can be deadly without immediate medical attention.

Ohio Motorcycle Laws You Should Know

• Motorcycle Licensing: Ohio requires riders to have a motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license. You get that by passing a written test and a skills exam or completing an approved Motorcycle Ohio course.
• Lane-Splitting: Ohio law doesn’t allow lane-splitting (riding between lanes of traffic). While it might be legal in places like California, here it can get you ticketed—or worse, hit by a car that wasn’t expecting you.
• Comparative Negligence Rule: Ohio follows a modified comparative negligence system under § 2315.33. If a rider is less than 50% at fault for the crash, they can still recover damages—reduced by their percentage of fault. If they’re 51% or more at fault, they recover nothing.
• Insurance Requirements: Ohio law requires motorcyclists to carry liability insurance. The minimum coverage limits are $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage (§ 4509.51).