Riding a motorcycle seems fun, cool and liberating. Unlike cars, however, you don’t have a lot of protection when driving a motorcycle, which makes you more vulnerable when road accidents occur. Education and proper training are, therefore, very important. You should know and follow driving regulations, diligently keep to safety rules, and you should always wear the proper gear. It will also help if you’re aware of things or events that commonly cause motorcycle accidents.
Aggressive Driving
Stress can make you do all sorts of bad things. But if you’re driving a motorcycle or any vehicle, don’t let your anger or frustration get to you. You could easily succumb to road rage, which could lead to many serious problems. For instance, you could end up in a grave fight with other vehicle operators, or you could suddenly find yourself illegally racing on busy streets. All in all, always be considerate and courteous when behind the wheels.
Aggressive driving can also pertain to events when drivers take foolish risks. Instead of patiently waiting to allow a truck to cross, a motorcycle driver could decide to overtake the truck. It’s very dangerous to pass or drive near or beside huge trucks because these vehicles have blind spots. These are areas that drivers cannot see from their seats. If a motorcycle driver is driving on the right side of a truck and the truck driver suddenly turns right or shifts to the right lane, the motorcycle will most likely get bumped. This will cause both drivers to lose control of their vehicles, which then endangers not only themselves, but also pedestrians and other drivers.
Overtaking and Colliding
Sometimes, in your haste to make it to an appointment, you run red lights or overtake other vehicles. As mentioned above, it’s not advisable to overtake other vehicles because this increases the possibility of car-motorcycle accidents. Running red lights is also not a good idea as this endangers you, other drivers and pedestrians.
Spotting and Assessing
Because motorcycles are smaller, these are more difficult to make out. So, car drivers don’t often spot them, and when they do, it’s more difficult for them to assess distance, space or speed. To make sure that other drivers see you, wear the right gear, especially at night. There are items or personal protective equipment (PPE) that improves a motorcycle driver’s road visibility, such as retroreflective strips and neon colors.
Making Sudden Stops
If you make a sudden stop, the driver behind you could bump into you, particularly if both of you were driving pretty fast. When such collisions occur, you’ll surely come off worst because you’re not well-protected from crashes. Therefore, don’t make sudden stops. If you really do need to stop, make sure that you signal other drivers about what you’re about to do. Also, see that there’s enough space between you and the car in front and behind you.
Skidding and Falling Over
When you’re driving, you could skid or slide, or topple over. Many factors can cause such accidents, such as rain and snow, slippery roads, potholes, as well as a road’s shape or form. For example, a driver can easily get into an accident if he speeds while making a sharp turn. A lot of accidents also occur when inexperienced drivers take to the streets.
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Claire Winters is a freelance writer. She contributes articles about road safety and auto maintenance. She also writes for many automobile websites and companies, like
Allstar Insurance.