Accidents involving motorcycles almost always result in injuries. With the uptick in motorcycle accidents in recent years, we need to be more careful than ever when sharing the road with them. Driving a motorcycle in itself is dangerous, but adding in other factors like careless driving, bad weather, and time of day all increase the chances of getting in an accident. To help cut down on these accidents, take these extra precautions:
- Check your blind spot. This is one of the most common reasons for an accident involving a motorcycle. Most people are looking for larger vehicles and completely miss the motorcycle next to them when getting into another lane.
- Always use turn signals and be extra careful when passing. It’s a given that you should use signals to let other drivers know where you are planning on going. What you might not know is that when you pass a motorcycle, it will often create a wind tunnel effect that pulls and pushes on the bike, making it dangerous for the driver.
- Be aware of motorcycles while driving at night. Visibility of other cars is much lower at night, obviously, so the dangers for motorcycles increases at this time as well. They can be harder to see, and drivers should use extra cautions when coming up behind them so as not to blind them.
- Understand the toll weather has on motorcyclists. Everyone hates driving when it’s windy, because you have to constantly fight to stay in your lane. Now imagine what a motorcycle is going through – they are battling to stay in their lane all while maintaining their upright position. In storms, motorcyclists are being pelted by rain and have a hard time seeing. Give them ample room and be prepared for them to turn or stop.
Because the month of May is National Motorcycle Awareness Month, now is the perfect time to recap safety tips on sharing the road with motorcycles. With so many more motorcyclists, drivers need to be increasingly aware of their presence on roadways. Tad Morlan has a lot of experience with motorcycle accidents and would love to help you get the money damages you deserve from your accident – call today for a free consultation!
