According to the Insurance Information Institute, over 5,000 motorcyclists died in accidents in 2019. Not only are these accidents common, but they also result in more fatalities. This is why it is vital to learn about the types of motorcycle accidents and other motorcycle accident causes.
Are motorcycles dangerous? Keep reading this article to learn more about how you can stay safe and how a motorcycle accident attorney can help.
Inexperience
Inexperienced drivers are one of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents. Before you begin driving your motorcycle on highways or busy roads, you need to put in a lot of training.
While riding a motorcycle may not be that difficult, you need to learn all the ins and outs of motorcycle operations. You also need to learn how you can gauge conditions. Whether it be weather conditions, traffic, or anything else, it can create dangerous driving situations.
By learning to gauge these conditions, you can more carefully operate your motorcycle. Finally, it is important that you learn to respond quickly in different situations. Having better reaction times can help you avoid accidents and stay safe on the road.
Make sure you are properly experienced in motorcycle operations and you learn more before you hit the roads!
Speeding
Next, speeding can be very dangerous for motorcyclists. While it is dangerous to speed in any vehicle, speeding can be fatal for people driving a motorcycle.
First, speeding increases your risk of crashing into other motorists. Because you have less distance between you and other cars when you are speeding, you will not have enough time to react if you need to stop your vehicle.
This means that speeding as a motorcyclist is not only dangerous for you, but it can hurt people in other vehicles.
Speeding is also dangerous in other weather conditions. If you are in high winds or rain and you are speeding, you have much less control over your motorcycle. To prevent accidents, make sure you are always going at a safe speed.
Paying Little Attention
Inattentive drivers are often the cause of motorcycle accidents. Whether the motorcycle driver or the driver of another vehicle is not paying attention, it is much easier to crash when you are inattentive.
For example, if you are not paying attention to the traffic lights and they change colors, you may run a red light and crash into another vehicle. If you don’t notice that the road is merging, you may merge into a vehicle on the highway.
Paying attention to road conditions and road signs will keep you safe as you operate your motorcycle.
Use of Alcohol
The use of alcohol is a common factor in many motorcycle accidents. Because alcohol impairs your thinking and worsens your driving ability, people under the influence of alcohol often crash when driving.
Even if motorcyclists aren’t drinking and driving, other vehicles on the road may be under the influence of alcohol. No matter who is at fault in the accident, it is important that you avoid alcohol when driving.
Not only is it illegal to drive impaired, but it can also be very dangerous. Make sure you don’t drink and drive.
Turning Corners
Surprisingly, turning corners is another common cause of motorcycle accidents. Because you are on such a small vehicle that can tip easily, it may be hard to stay balanced when you are turning corners, especially in sharp turns.
Many roads often have debris in the middle of intersections. Whether this is loose gravel or something else, hitting this debris makes it easy for your motorcycle to wipe out.
Make sure you don’t turn corners too quickly so you don’t wipe out on the roads.
Bad Road Conditions
Bad road conditions are bad for any vehicle but are especially dangerous for those driving motorcycles. For example, if there is a wet road from rain or snow, it can cause regular cars to slip or hydroplane. However, a slippery road can cause motorcyclists to wipe out. This is especially common on highways and other busy roads with higher speeds.
As mentioned before, things like gravel or other debris in the road can also be very dangerous to motorcyclists. If you notice that there are dangerous road conditions, make sure you practice caution when driving your motorcycle. It may be a better idea to avoid driving during these conditions.
Other Cars
When you are driving another vehicle, it is much harder to see motorcyclists. Because these bikes are so small, it is easy for them to be hidden in your blind spot even if you are paying attention to the road.
This makes other cars the most common cause of motorcycle accidents. While you often can’t avoid the mistakes that other drivers make on the road, you can take precautions with your own driving.
Make sure you give other cars plenty of space and be sure to not drive in their blind spots. Make sure you signal for several seconds before changing lanes so that other cars don’t change lanes at the same time.
By being extra cautious, you can make sure other drivers notice you on the road.
Learn How to Prevent Motorcycle Accidents Today
Learning how to prevent motorcycle accidents is vital if you own a motorcycle. Because these accidents are so common and can be fatal, learning how to drive a motorcycle on the road will keep you safe.
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