nikola
Riding a motorcycle comes with a certain sense of liberation. This activity is great at eliminating stress and providing you with a more positive outlook on life. All you have to do is start your bike and the joy of traveling down the open road and leaving all your troubles behind starts igniting in your chest.
However, there is a certain amount of risk involved in riding these powerful machines. Motorcycle accidents represent too common occurrences on the roads even today. Many of the drivers end up with very serious and life-threatening consequences.
It’s important to be safe on the road. One of the ways to increase your safety while in traffic is to know what are some of the most frequent mistakes. This knowledge will make you more aware of your surroundings and reduce the probability of ending up in some horrible crash.
Let’s take a look at the common motorcycle accidents and the ways to prevent them from happening.
Deadly Left Turn
One of the biggest problems for motorcycle drivers everywhere in the world is when a car doesn’t see them coming or misjudges their speed and turns left, right in front of them. Nearly half of all the accidents between cars and bikes happen for this reason.
Although this is not an uncommon thing to happen with two cars involved, still the two-wheeler motorist is much more likely to sustain serious injuries or even die due to the lack of protection. Pius Joseph, a motorcycle accident lawyer in Pasadena, has seen this thing happen too many times. For decades, he has been advocating for road safety as well as for the rights of the victims of these awful situations.
Aside from wearing protective gear and driving carefully, you need to learn how to quickly scan the area in front of you and predict the car driver’s next move. Do not increase the speed on the intersections and make sure your fingers are ready to push the front brake.
Cutting The Corner Too Fast
When something like this happens, the fault is completely yours. If you’re driving the unfamiliar road, don’t make the mistake of entering the corner at high speed. It might surprise you by bending too tightly for you to handle.
Also, if you realize that you are going too fast and that there is a possibility for something bad to occur, it’s also important not to panic. If you are not very skilled, your instinct will probably tell you to hit the brakes but that will most certainly leave you kissing the tarmac. In reality, you have better chances if you keep going. Just be focused!
Lane Splitting
Driving between two lanes is completely acceptable but it’s also risky. Bikers do this when the cars are moving slowly and there is a traffic jam. However, there are several reasons why this can be dangerous.
1. You are in close proximity to the car
2. Your maneuvering space is too small
3. Due to the slowed or stopped traffic, the car drivers don’t expect anyone would be passing them
4. Cars can’t split lanes so motorists are not expecting something like that to happen
In certain US states, like Florida, this type of behavior is not acceptable. So, when in Florida, the best way to avoid lane splitting accidents is to obey the law. If you decide to do it anyway, make sure there is enough room between the vehicles for you to get through and not hit side-view mirrors.
High Blood Alcohol Level
Alcohol is one of the main causes of motorcycle accidents. By driving intoxicated you put at risk yourself and other drivers as well as pedestrians. The simple solution is to not drink or to limit your alcohol intake. If that’s not your vision of the perfect night out then carpooling with your friends might be a good idea or simply take a cab and leave your bike at home.
Pushing Pedal to the Metal
The reasons why people love motorcycles are not really hard to understand but the ability to go fast is probably one of their biggest attributes. The high-performance bikes are not very heavy and can reach wild speeds in a really short timeframe. While this makes them thrilling machines, it is also what makes them dangerous. To avoid this type of accident, simply respect the speed limit. You don’t have to break the law to have fun.
Use your common sense, keep your eyes open, and don’t drive too fast. Also, don’t forget to wear protective gear. Motorcycle drivers are especially capable of sustaining serious injuries, don’t let something like that happen to you.
