All drivers have the responsibility to watch for motorcycles on the road. However, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020, over 82,000 accidents resulted in rider injuries.
If both riders and other drivers know the common causes of these accidents, they might be more likely to prevent them.
Speeding
Motorcycle riders like to get places quickly. Unfortunately, excessive speed contributes to a large portion of motorcycle accidents. Speeding makes it more difficult for riders or other drivers to avoid a collision and increases the likelihood of severe injuries. Slowing down and staying within the speed limit might help prevent these accidents.
Driver negligence
Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles, and drivers may not see them. Drivers can unknowingly pull out in front of a motorcycle, change lanes into a rider or fail to stop before colliding with a bike. Not only should drivers take the time to look for motorcyclists, but riders can make themselves more visible by wearing bright colors, riding with their headlights illuminated and staying out of other vehicles’ blind spots.
Impairment
Driving while intoxicated is illegal for all drivers, including motorcyclists. Yet, according to a 2020 National Safety Council report, 27.35% of all motorcycle accidents involved riders with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit. Staying off the roads after consuming excessive alcohol is the easiest way to prevent these accidents.
While not all accidents are avoidable, taking the above precautions as a rider or driver may improve the safety of everyone on the roads.