Every May, drivers across Western New York see more motorcycles on the road. Warmer weather brings riders out on Delaware Avenue, Niagara Street, and the Scajaquada heading through the city. Motorcycle Awareness Month reminds everyone that these riders have the same right to the road as any car or truck.
Buffalo's riding season is short but intense. Riders wait out the long Western New York winters and hit the roads hard the minute the weather turns. That means May brings a surge of motorcycle traffic onto the same streets drivers have had mostly to themselves for months. The transition is when crashes spike, and the stakes for riders are high across Erie County.
This post covers the latest traffic crashes and traffic fatalities data, what makes Buffalo roads especially risky for riders, New York motorcycle laws you need to know, safety tips that actually prevent crashes, and what your rights look like after a motorcycle accident.
Call us 24/7 at 716-854-1300 to speak with a personal injury lawyer near you, or contact us for a FREE consultation.
May is National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the campaign to push one clear message: Motorcyclist Safety is everyone's safety. That matters in Buffalo more than most places.
Buffalo sits at the crossroads of the 33, the 190, and the 90, with heavy commuter traffic flowing between the city, the Southtowns, the Northtowns, and into Niagara Falls. Ventura Boulevard has nothing on the complexity of trying to ride through the Kensington at rush hour. Once spring hits, motorcycle traffic surges on those same roads, along with weekend riders heading down to the Southern Tier or up to Niagara. More bikes mean more chances for a car driver to miss one at an intersection or during a lane change.
The whole point of Motorcycle Awareness Month is to get drivers to look twice. Most riders killed in New York crashes are hit by another vehicle. That fact should change how every driver approaches a left turn, a lane change, or a glance in the mirror.
Motorcycle Awareness Month also pushes riders to take a fresh look at their own habits. Is your gear up to date after the winter? Have you taken a refresher motorcycle training course? Is your motorcycle endorsement current? May is the month to answer those questions honestly.
Every May, safety campaigns across New York and the country repeat a handful of core messages. These slogans stick because they work. Each one targets a specific driver behavior that causes the most motorcycle crashes.
These themes aren't just bumper sticker slogans. They point to the exact driver behaviors that cause the most traffic fatalities involving motorcycles in Erie County and across New York State. A driver who actually looks twice at the Main Street and Transit Road intersection, or who gives a rider full space on the 190, is the reason a crash doesn't happen that day.
New York is one of the more dangerous states in the country for motorcyclists. The numbers back that up. According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, the state consistently sees thousands of motorcycle crashes and well over 150 motorcyclist deaths per year.
Erie County sees hundreds of motorcycle crashes in a typical year, with most happening during the May through October riding season. NYSDOT data shows riders make up a small fraction of the vehicles on the road but account for a disproportionate share of traffic fatalities every year. Most of the people killed were the riders themselves. Passengers accounted for a smaller share, but the injury rates for both groups stayed high.
National data from NHTSA tells the same story in sharper terms. In 2023, motorcyclists were nearly 28 times more likely than car occupants to die in a crash per mile traveled. They made up 15% of all traffic fatalities that year even though they represent a tiny slice of the vehicles on the road.
Most motorcycle traffic crashes in Buffalo fall into a few predictable patterns. Knowing these patterns helps riders stay alert and helps drivers understand where the danger really is.
Every one of these crash types is preventable. The driver or rider just needs to slow down, pay attention, and follow basic traffic laws before moving.
Safety advice only helps if it lines up with how crashes actually happen. The steps below come directly from NHTSA and New York safety agencies. They work.
For riders, the basics still save lives. Wear a DOT-compliant helmet every ride. New York is one of the states that still requires all riders to wear a helmet, regardless of age. NHTSA reported helmet use jumped from 66.5% in 2022 to 73% in 2023, and that shift matters. In states with universal helmet use requirements like New York, only 10% of motorcyclists killed were unhelmeted. A DOT-compliant helmet is the single most effective piece of safety gear a rider can own.
Riders should also gear up with a jacket, gloves, boots, and eye protection. Reflective tape on your helmet, saddlebags, and fenders adds visibility at dusk and after dark. Bright or reflective safety gear makes a huge difference on gray Buffalo days or at dusk. Never ride after drinking. Take a New York Motorcycle Safety Program course. Ride within your skill level and stay out of blind spots.
For drivers, the rules are simple but ignored constantly:
These habits save lives during May and every month that follows.
New York motorcycle laws require every rider and passenger to wear a DOT-compliant helmet. This applies to all riders regardless of age or experience. Eye protection is also required for every rider.
New York also requires a Class M or Class MJ motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license before you can legally ride. To get the endorsement, you must pass a written test and a road test, or complete a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic RiderCourse. This is one of the most important motorcycle laws for new riders to understand. Riding without a valid motorcycle endorsement can hurt your accident claim later.
Lane splitting is illegal in New York. Riders in Buffalo cannot legally ride between lanes of slow or stopped traffic. Riders caught lane splitting can be ticketed, and insurance companies will use it against riders in any crash claim.
New York's universal helmet law is one reason the state sees lower helmet-related fatality rates than states with weaker laws. DOT-compliant helmets cut the risk of death dramatically. Riders who follow the law and wear proper gear give themselves the best possible chance of surviving a crash.
The first minutes after a crash matter. Get to safety if you can move. Call 911 so police and EMS arrive and create an official report. Get medical attention even if you feel okay. Some injuries, especially head injuries and internal damage, don't show symptoms right away.
Take photos of everything if you're able. Get the other driver's insurance information. Write down the names and numbers of any witnesses. Do not apologize or admit fault at the scene. Insurance adjusters use those statements later.
New York is a pure comparative fault state. That means your recovery is reduced by your share of the blame, but even a rider found 90% at fault can still recover 10% of damages. This is a more rider-friendly rule than what you'll find in most states. Still, the other side's insurance company will push hard to shift as much blame as possible onto the rider. Having photos, a police report, and witness information protects you.
You also have three years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York. For claims involving a government entity like the City of Buffalo, Erie County, or the NFTA, you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days. Our motorcycle accident lawyers in Buffalo recommend speaking with a lawyer well before any deadline runs out.
Yes. New York riders hurt by a negligent driver can pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and damage to their bike. If the crash caused a permanent injury or disfigurement, the claim can also include future medical care and long-term loss of earning ability.
Motorcycle cases are different from car cases. Riders face a bias that many insurance adjusters and jurors carry into a claim, the idea that riding a motorcycle is reckless by itself. That bias is wrong, but it's real. Fighting it takes evidence, crash reconstruction, and often testimony from professionals who understand motorcycle dynamics, New York motorcycle laws, and the role sharing the road plays in every collision.
It's also important to know that New York's No-Fault insurance law does not cover motorcycle riders. That means riders can sue for pain and suffering and other damages in any injury case, without needing to meet the serious injury threshold that applies to car accident victims. This actually opens up more recovery options for injured riders than most people realize.
Our personal injury lawyers in Buffalo know how to push back against insurance tactics and build a case that reflects what actually happened on the road.
May is the month to ride smart and drive aware. If you were hit while riding on the 90, the 190, Main Street, or anywhere in Erie County, you have rights and a limited window to act. Call RK&L today for a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Buffalo who will fight for your recovery.
Call us 24/7 at 716-854-1300 to speak with a personal injury lawyer near you, or contact us for a FREE consultation.
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