Driving is such a routine part of our daily life that most drivers tend to forget how dangerous even a small accident can be, and motorcyclists are especially at risk. When you’re on a motorcycle, without the shell of a normal car standing between you and other vehicles, you’re very vulnerable.
All it takes is one mistake or a moment of inattention to cause an accident with a motorcycle and potentially cause serious injury or death to the motorcycle rider. Here are some of the most common causes of accidents involving motorcycles.
Aggressive Driving
Aggressive drivers take risks, often at others’ expense. As a motorcycle driver, you take risks every time you decide to try to overtake another car or move around them. If you or the other drivers don’t watch each other carefully enough, you could end up in an accident.
You might speed past another car just as they start turning in front of you. You can’t control other drivers being aggressive around you, but you can certainly control yourself. Always leave extra time in your schedule when driving and don’t take unnecessary risks. Motorcycle safety is about watching the road carefully and being more defensive than aggressive.
Lane Splitting
One of the common and risky things a motorcyclist can do to cause an accident is lane splitting. This refers to weaving through traffic between designated lanes in ways you can only do with a small vehicle like a motorcycle.
Maybe traffic is slowing down to a crawl and you’re getting impatient. Why should you wait for traffic when your motorcycle can fit smoothly between all of these cars? This is dangerous and a bad idea.
When you start splitting lanes, you are putting yourself in an extremely vulnerable position. If traffic starts to speed up, a car tries to change lanes ahead of you, or even if someone suddenly opens their door, you could be in big trouble.
Distraction or Driver Error
Whether it’s you or other drivers around you, most motor vehicle accidents are caused by a driver making some kind of simple mistake. They’ll look away from the road or get distracted by a phone call and won’t see the other motorist near them, thereby causing a crash.
A lot of accidents are also caused by drunk driving, which is a big example of driver error. If a driver is under the influence, distracted, or drowsy, you can’t expect them to act safely and predictably. If you suspect another driver on the road of drunk driving and can do so safely, don’t hesitate to report the vehicle to the police.
Staying Safe and Staying Visible
The best thing you can do on a motorcycle to avoid accidents is to make yourself very visible. Accidents happen when other drivers fail to notice you moving around them. Staying visible also means following traffic rules and behaving like a normal car. Other cars need to be able to predict your behavior so they can make their own choices.
Related:
If you get in a car accident because of mistakes the other driver made, don’t hesitate to contact a motorcycle accident lawyer to help you get the compensation you’ll need.
Ultimately, however, your safety is up to you. Stay vigilant and watch out for cars around you to put your safety first.
