A lot of people are quite excited at the thought of getting a motorcycle. They admire other individuals who are riding some of the best motorcycles on the roads, and they aspire to become like them. Riding a motorcycle is fun, and it can also make you feel like you have all the freedom in the world. But as nice as it feels, riding a motorcycle can also be very dangerous. Just like car crashes happen regularly, motorcycle crashes are no exception to that, leading to injuries and, in worst-case scenarios, even death.
Fortunately, you can do a few things in order to reduce the likelihood of dealing with a crash. Below, you will read about the most common types of motorcycle crashes and learn how to avoid them.
1. Left Turning Cars
One thing that commonly causes motorcycle crashes is left-turning cars. Basically, these accidents happen when a car makes a left-hand turn while a motorcycle rider is behind. This is something that causes 42% of the accidents between motorcycles and cars.
As a result of the left turning, the accident happens when the motorcycle is either trying to overtake the car, pass the car or go straight through an intersection. Given the size of the motorcycle and the fact that there is less protection than necessary for a motorcycle, the accident can be extremely dangerous.
The accident can be avoided if you learn how to anticipate the next move of the drivers. Signs that someone may want to turn left include looking both ways in the last second or waiting at an intersection to turn. There may also be a traffic gap right in front of you, and another person may want to go. Look out for this and avoid riding if the person turns left.
2. Car Hitting from Behind
A car may hit your motorcycle from behind when you halt a stop sign, an intersection, or a crosswalk. Although you may be trying to avoid someone, the driver behind you may not be able to see you. As a result, the motorcycle can get hit from behind, which is very dangerous and sometimes can even be fatal.
Therefore, you should make sure to avoid it by always waving nicely when you pull in front of a car at a multi-lane stoplight. You can also consider stopping at the side of the line when there is no free crumple zone available. Apart from that, you should also keep the bike in gear, flash your brake light and keep your right hand on the throttle. Also, be wary of what’s approaching from behind.
3. Lane Switching
Lane switching happens when a car starts coming into your lane when they’re next to you. It’s a likely scenario on four-lane roads, and when there is a car next to you that is unable to see you or is not paying attention to you.
Avoid this type of accident by always making sure you see the mirrors of the car, as well as the face of the drivers because this means they see you as well. Look for signs that the car is going to change lanes as well.
4. Intoxication Accidents
A good number of motorcycle accidents happen due to intoxication. The rider is not that protected on the motorcycle, which is what makes drunk riding even more dangerous.
To avoid this type of motorcycle crash, you should make sure you never drink and ride, no matter what. If you want to go out with friends and have a drink, never have more than one beer or one drink per hour. But if you want to drink more, you should leave your motorcycle where it is and go home using another transportation method, like a taxi.
5. High-Speed Crashes
Whereas some people want a motorcycle just to be able to get to certain places or just to enjoy the feeling of freedom, others buy one because they love speed. Unfortunately, speeding up with a motorcycle is very dangerous. A lot of motorcycle crashes happen because riders speed up.
Riding the motorcycle at safe speeds will be enough to avoid such an incident. Always consider the speed limit, and follow the law. It may sound boring, but riding the motorcycle is very fun even when you ride slower. Besides, it’s always better to stay safe than take the risk.
6. Head-On Collisions
As you can tell, these crashes happen when the car strikes a motorcycle head-on. While this is dangerous for both the rider and the car driver, the motorcyclist is often the one ending up in a worse situation, even dying in a lot of cases. If the motorcycle also reached high speeds, then it can be even more dangerous for the rider.
You can avoid these collisions if you read the road ahead and always drive on the right-hand lane. If the other car is not paying attention, you should also reduce the motorcycle speed. Lastly, you should consider riding off the road to prevent the collision from occurring.
7. Lane Splitting
Lane splitting accidents are also common. They happen when a motorcycle is between two car lanes, which is usually in traffic congestion or at a traffic light. Not only are cars and motorcycles closer this way, but there is less space for the motorcycle and cars don’t expect to see anyone passing them when the traffic is stopped or slowed.
Don’t lane split if you don’t want to deal with a crash. But if you want to do this move, you should first make sure you have enough space to safely get through the cars without hitting anyone’s vehicle. Always look if there are gaps between the cars that stopped because it could signal that a driver wants to merge into the next lane with his car. Also, look for head movement and other similar signs.
Final Thoughts
Car accidents can lead to injuries, but motorcycle accidents are even worse, as they are more likely to be fatal. Avoiding motorcycle crashes could save your life, so it’s essential to take some precautions. However, if you were injured in an accident, you should always consider hiring a good lawyer from an experienced firm like Henderson Law or any other top-notch firm you have in your area. In the future, though, you should learn how to prevent a tragedy by being a responsible motorcyclist.
