According to Ohio State Highway Patrol, in 2020, there were 3,982 motorcycle involved accidents in Ohio, which was an increase of 11% from 2019. Out of 3,982 motorcycle accidents in Ohio in 2020, there were 3,590 motorists and/passengers injured in said accidents, and 205 of the accidents were fatal. Franklin County had the second most motorcycle involved accidents in 2020 at 297. See Ohio Highway Patrol, Traffic Safety Bulletin: Motorcycles in Ohio 

With motorcycle accidents seemingly on the rise, Lardiere McNair & Stonebrook, Ltd. advises those who own, drive, or ride motorcycles to check their motorcycle insurance policy before hitting the road this spring - even those who only use their motorcycle as a secondary or hobby-only mode of transportation. The personal injury team at LMDS advises that motorcyclists ensure they have uninsured/underinsured bodily injury coverage as a part of their auto insurance policy that is high enough to cover the medical bill, and pain and suffering of you and your loved once if they were to suffer severe bodily injury or a fatality.

Even if one’s motorcycle is not regularly driven, the policy limits that cover the motorcycle are just as crucial given the likelihood of a motorcycle accident leading to significant injury to the motorcyclist. Motorcyclists unfortunately cannot control the negligence of other motorists on the road, nor can motorcyclists control whether the negligent motorists properly insure against causing severe bodily injury to others on the road. There is a chance that said motorists could even be driving uninsured which could leave a severely injured motorcyclist and/or the family of a deceased motorist with no civil remedy through an insurance policy.

As such, Lardiere McNair & Stonebrook, Ltd. cannot express enough how imperative it is for motorcyclists to carry high UM/UIM bodily injury limits on their automobile policy covering the motorcycle so that they can protect themselves and their loved ones from monetary hardship if the unfortunate but possible reality of getting in an injury causing, motorcycle accident. If you or a family member are a motorcyclist and want to discuss the adequacy of your uninsured/underinsured bodily injury auto policy, contact our office today at (614) 534-1355 to set up a free appointment with our personal injury team.

https://statepatrol.ohio.gov/links/Motorcycle_Bulletin_2021.pdf