When you decided to buy a motorcycle, you thought of all the fun you could have by hitting the road for a weekend adventure. Hopefully, you also recognized the safety risks that come with riding. Motorcyclists are much more likely to suffer an injury in a crash than a person in a passenger vehicle. Bikers are 28 times more likely to die in a vehicle accident.
Obviously, you want to be a safe rider. Part of that is knowing some of the most common causes of motorcycle crashes and how can you avoid them. Here are four common causes of motorcycle accidents:
- Cars making left-hand turns in front of you. Often, drivers don’t see motorcyclists in the oncoming lane when they are making a left-hand turn. You can help avoid being in a left-turn accident by wearing bright or reflective clothing and riding in the center of the lane. You also can honk if you don’t think a motorist signaling to turn left sees you.
- Cars making unsafe lane changes. When driving on multilane highways, try to give yourself enough space to avoid a car making swerving into your lane.
- A vehicle rear-ending you. Unfortunately, motorcyclists are often hit by cars traveling behind them. Likely, the vehicle driver was inattentive or didn’t see you slowing down. You can’t always protect yourself against these types of accidents, but wearing bright clothing can help.
- Encountering road hazards. Loose gravel, potholes and other road hazards are far more dangerous to a person riding a motorcycle than someone in a four-wheeled vehicle.
Some of the best ways to protect yourself are to take a motorcycle safety course, wear appropriate protective gear, and be aware that other drivers may not see you.