The Differences Between a High-Side vs. Low-Side Motorcycle Crash in Jersey City, NJ

Motorcyclists are at risk of experiencing serious accidents that lead to life-altering injuries. As a motorcyclist, understanding the different types of accidents you are vulnerable to may help you prevent them. It can also help you determine how to proceed depending on the type of crash you experienced.

Learn the difference between a high-side vs. low-side motorcycle crash, the common causes, and your potential legal options after these types of accidents. For more personalized legal guidance, consult a motorcycle accident attorney.

What Are High-Side vs. Low-Side Motorcycle Accidents?

High-side and low-side motorcycle accidents are two types of crashes that vary in how the rider is ejected from the motorcycle.

• In a high-side crash, the rider is ejected from the motorcycle as it flips or rolls over. They might be thrown over the handlebars.
• In a low-side crash, the rider is thrown to the side as the bike falls to the left or right. The motorcycle might slide out from under them during travel, leading the rider to fall off.

Riding a motorcycle requires the biker to maintain balance at all times. One or two damaged wheels can quickly throw off the bike’s balance and cause the rider to fall.

Wheel issues are often a primary cause of both low-side and high-side crashes. High-side accidents tend to be more serious and lead to more severe injuries.

Causes of High-Side vs. Low-Side Crashes

High-side and low-side motorcycle crashes happen for different reasons. Understanding these reasons could help you mindfully avoid them while riding.

The primary cause of a high-side motorcycle crash is the loss of traction, followed by the rapid regaining of traction. The loss of traction usually results from an issue with the motorcycle’s rear tire. The rear wheel might slide out while accelerating or braking, then suddenly grip the road again. This makes the bike unstable, causing it to spin or roll over.

High-side crashes typically occur at higher speeds, when the loss and regaining of traction are more challenging to recover from. For example, riding at high speeds and then suddenly braking could cause these traction issues.

Meanwhile, a low-side motorcycle crash happens when one or both wheels lose traction, often during a turn. The tires lose their grip on the road, forcing the bike to fall to one side. Common causes of these types of crashes are excessive braking, entering a turn too quickly, or accelerating too severely while turning a corner.

These accidents can occur at any speed, but are more common at lower speeds, resulting in less severe injuries than high-side crashes. Riders involved in a low-side crash commonly experience road rash and broken bones.

Seeking Compensation After a High-Side vs. Low-Side Accident

If you were involved in a high-side or low-side motorcycle crash, you may wonder how to seek compensation for your medical expenses, damage to your bike, and other associated costs.

These accidents often do not involve other drivers. If you were the sole party involved in the accident, you would generally need to look to your own insurance policy to determine your potential for compensation.

New Jersey law does not require motorcyclists to carry medical payments coverage, but you may have added this type of insurance to your policy. You might also have other types of insurance that could apply, such as:

• Total loss coverage: This coverage could pay for the full value of your bike after a total loss
• Enhanced injury protection: Policies are available that could pay up to $250 a week for up to two years if you were injured and could not work
• Carried contents and personal belongings coverage: This type of coverage could replace the belongings you were carrying during the accident

Can You Sue After a Slide-Out Crash or Front-Wheel Slip?

If you were involved in a motorcycle crash that involved a loss of traction, many external factors could have contributed to the accident. An experienced motorcycle accident attorney in Jersey City can help you explore your legal options for holding another party partially or fully responsible.

You may have the right to pursue legal action after a motorcycle crash if another party’s negligence directly contributed to the accident and your damages. That party could be the motorcycle manufacturer, a repair shop that failed to mitigate wheel traction issues, the local government for neglecting to fill a pothole that led to your accident, or numerous other parties.

Turn a Devastating Crash Into a Fighting Chance. Seek Legal Guidance With Your Accident Case

Experiencing a rear-wheel lockup or sudden loss and regain of traction can be alarming and lead to serious accidents. Have you been injured in a high-side or low-side motorcycle crash for which you believe another party may be liable? Our motorcycle accident attorney would like to hear your case.

Insurance companies fight to protect their profits. At The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis & Associates, LLC, we’ve been fighting back for over 30 years. With more than $400 million recovered for our clients, our team is here 24/7 to protect your rights.

Don’t let insurers dictate your recovery. Contact us today at (973) 279-7246(973) 279-7246 or fill out our online form to request a free case review. Our goal is to protect your rights and seek justice for you.

Copyright © 2025. The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis & Associates, LLC. All rights reserved.

The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author or the law firm, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.

The Law Offices of Peter N. Davis & Associates, LLC
72 Essex Street, Suite 2,
Lodi, New Jersey 07644
(973) 279-7246(973) 279-7246
https://peterdavislaw.com/