A motorcycle crash can happen in seconds. What you do afterward can affect your health, your recovery, and potentially your ability to pursue compensation for your injuries and losses.
Motorcyclists face unique risks because they don’t have the protection of a car’s passenger compartment, airbags, and crumple zones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 6,228 motorcyclists killed in crashes in 2024, representing 16% of all traffic fatalities. (NHTSA)
If you’ve been involved in a motorcycle crash, here are 10 things you should NOT do—followed by one important thing you should.
1. Don’t Assume You’re Fine Because You Can Walk Away
Adrenaline can mask pain after a crash. Injuries involving the head, neck, back, internal organs, or soft tissue may not be immediately obvious.
Do: Get evaluated by medical professionals, even if you initially feel okay.
2. Don’t Remove Your Helmet Yourself If You’re Injured
If you have potentially suffered a head, neck, or spinal injury, don’t casually pull off your helmet. Let first responders evaluate you and determine the safest way to provide treatment.
Your helmet may also contain important evidence about the impact.
3. Don’t Leave the Scene
Even if you think the crash was minor, don’t simply get on your bike and ride away.
Call 911 when appropriate, get the police involved, and make sure the crash is properly documented. (NST Law)
4. Don’t Admit Fault
This one can be difficult. You may be shaken up and instinctively say, “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t see him.”
Don’t speculate about what caused the crash.
Give the police an honest account of what happened, but avoid making statements such as, “It was my fault,” when you don’t have all the facts.
5. Don’t Argue With the Other Driver
The other driver may be angry. You may be angry, too.
Don’t get into an argument at the scene. Don’t threaten anyone and don’t try to convince the other driver that they’re responsible.
Let the evidence and investigation speak for themselves.
6. Don’t Forget to Document the Scene
If you’re physically able and it is safe to do so, photographs can be extremely valuable.
Take pictures of:
- Your motorcycle and its damage
- The other vehicles
- The roadway and intersection
- Skid marks and debris
- Traffic signs and signals
- Road conditions
- Your helmet and riding gear
- Visible injuries
- The surrounding area and sight lines
Also get contact information from witnesses.
Evidence at a crash scene can disappear quickly once vehicles are moved and the roadway is cleaned. (AmFam)
7. Don’t Throw Away Your Damaged Gear
That helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, or other riding gear may be more than just equipment that needs replacing.
It may help document what happened during the crash and the severity of the impact.
Keep everything in the condition it was in after the crash. Don’t clean it up or throw it away.
8. Don’t Give a Recorded Statement to an Insurance Company Without Understanding Your Rights
Soon after a crash, you may start receiving calls from insurance companies.
Be careful about giving detailed recorded statements before you understand exactly what is being asked and how your answers could affect your claim.
Insurance companies have their own interests. Your interests may be very different.
9. Don’t Post About the Crash on Social Media
It’s tempting to tell your friends what happened or post pictures of the wreck.
Think twice.
Statements, photographs, videos, check-ins, comments, and even seemingly harmless posts could potentially become part of an insurance dispute or legal case.
When in doubt, keep the details offline.
10. Don’t Accept a Settlement Just Because You Need Money Now
After a serious motorcycle crash, bills can pile up quickly.
You may be dealing with medical expenses, lost wages, motorcycle damage, rehabilitation, and an uncertain recovery.
An early settlement offer may sound attractive—but before signing anything, understand what you’re giving up and whether the amount adequately accounts for your injuries and losses.
Once you sign a settlement, you may not get another opportunity to seek additional compensation.
And Here’s the One Thing You SHOULD Do
Call a motorcycle injury lawyer.
Not just any lawyer.
Motorcycle crashes can involve issues that are different from ordinary automobile collisions, including motorcycle-specific evidence, rider bias, insurance coverage, road conditions, helmet and gear evidence, and the severity of injuries suffered by an unprotected rider.
The National Academy of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers (NAMIL) is a nationwide organization focused specifically on motorcycle injury law. NAMIL says its members have demonstrated experience and competency in motorcycle injury cases and are recognized by their peers as leading practitioners in the field. (NAMIL Law)
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle crash, call me at 251-402-6392 to connect with a member of the National Academy of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers.
You don’t have to know whether you have a case before making the call. You don’t have to understand insurance law. And you don’t have to try to figure everything out while you’re recovering.
Make the call. Get informed. Then decide what you want to do.
Ride smart. Know your rights. Protect yourself after the crash, too.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Motorcycle accident laws and deadlines vary by state. A consultation with a qualified attorney can help you understand the laws that apply to your specific situation.