What to do if hit by a motorcycle
A motorcycle hit you and you are trying to work out what comes next.
Check for injuries first. A rider can be seriously hurt even when the car is barely marked. Then photograph the scene, exchange details, and lodge a police report the same day.
What to do right now
- Check on the rider’s condition straight away, since motorcyclists are far more exposed than someone inside a car.
- Call for an ambulance if there is any doubt about the rider’s injuries.
- Photograph both vehicles, the road, and the rider’s helmet and gear if it is safe to do so.
- Exchange details: name, identity card number, phone number and vehicle registration.
- Lodge a police report the same day describing exactly what you saw and did.
Fault is not decided by vehicle size
Some people assume a car driver is at fault whenever a motorcycle is involved, because the car is larger. Malaysian law does not work that way. Fault depends on what happened, such as lane position, signalling and right of way.
If you were the pedestrian who got hit
Your claim generally goes against the rider’s insurer once fault is established, since motorcycles must carry the same third-party insurance as cars.[1] Get medical attention and a police report in place, as any injured road user would.
Pressure to settle quietly
One side sometimes asks to “settle it there and then” to avoid a report. Be careful. A proper report and medical check protect both people better than an informal deal, especially if injuries turn out worse than they first looked.
Where a lawyer can help
If the rider or their insurer disputes fault, or you are injured, an independent lawyer can take the claim on for you. What to do after a road accident covers the following days, and making a road accident claim explains how fault and compensation are worked out.
For the first contact, share general dates, location, case status and a short summary only. Keep documents private.
Only after an identified lawyer or law firm contacts you and specifically asks for them should you provide that identified lawyer or firm with the accident date, where it happened, your injuries, and the police report if you have one.
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
Common questions
As a driver, am I automatically blamed just because I was in a car?
No. Fault is worked out from the evidence, road layout and witness accounts, the same as any other accident. Being in a larger vehicle does not by itself make a driver responsible for what happened.
The rider seems to have minor injuries but is asking me to pay quietly. What should I do?
It is worth being cautious before agreeing to pay anything privately at the scene. A police report and proper medical assessment protect both of you far better than an informal arrangement made under pressure.
I was walking and a motorcycle hit me. What is different for me?
As a pedestrian, you were not driving either vehicle, so your claim generally proceeds against the rider's insurer once fault is established, in the same way any other injured third party's claim would.
Does the rider's own insurance cover my injuries?
Motorcycles carry the same compulsory third-party insurance requirement as cars, so a valid claim against an at-fault rider is generally paid by that rider's insurer rather than out of the rider's own pocket.
Sources
- Road Transport Act 1987, s.90-s.91 (accessed 2026-09-22)
Need a lawyer to handle your injury claim?
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.