Top Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
If you ride a motorcycle, you already know how dangerous it can be, especially when riding in the city where there’s a lot of traffic. You’re at a disadvantage in terms of protection during an accident and because you’re riding a vehicle that’s much smaller than most other vehicles, it’s much more challenging to see you. That’s why the experts at Wagners Law Firm think it’s important to know the top causes of motorcycle accidents so you can take precautions to avoid them.
Inattentive or Distracted Drivers
Motorcyclists have to be defensive drivers all the time. They can’t let their guard down for even a second because there are inattentive and distracted drivers everywhere. It doesn’t really matter what the distraction is, be it eating food, texting, making phone calls, or just changing the song on the radio while driving. All of it can be deadly to a motorcyclist.While motorcycle awareness campaigns are underway all over the world, they haven’t completely eliminated motorcycle accidents due to inattentiveness or distractions. As a motorcyclist, you can make yourself safer around inattentive and distracted drivers by maintaining a proper following distance, wearing highly visible protective gear, and investing in collision avoidance technology.
Traffic Threats
Driving in high traffic areas is an annoyance to most motorists, but it can be life threatening to motorcyclists. Bikers always have to be alert for sudden stops, lane changes, the unexpected opening of car doors, and much more because what might cause minor damage to another car or truck could cause major damage to a motorcycle and severe injuries to a rider.Bikers already have limited visibility because of their relatively small size compared to full-size vehicles and when hazards like roadway litter, fluid spills, poorly placed signs, and unanticipated actions of other drivers are thrown into the mix, they are at an even greater risk. You can’t usually plan for traffic events, but using roads that are less congested, cleaner, and not under construction, many of these threats can be eliminated.
Left Turns
Left turns are particularly dangerous to motorcyclists because of a condition called “inattentional blindness.” This means that even though the driver of a full-size vehicle looked at the motorcyclist who was turning left in front of them, they didn’t really see them because they didn’t expect there to be a motorcyclist there. It’s a trick of the brain and unfortunately, bikers suffer the most from this phenomenon.Be sure to always use your turn signal, consider flashing your brights, or moving your bike back and forth to draw attention to yourself when turning left. Leave a good distance between you and other vehicles to give yourself as much stopping room as possible if someone turns left in front of you to avoid these collisions.
Conclusion
According to the NHTSA, approximately 80% of all reported motorcycle crashes result in injury or death. Certainly, if you’ve ever ridden a motorcycle, the added risks are often worth the free feelings you get when riding. But, even if you’re the best rider in the world, you can’t account for other people, so always be cautious and take adequate precautions to limit your chances of getting involved in a motorcycle accident.Do You Need An Attorney?
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Posted - 04/20/2023
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