Motorcyclists enjoy the feeling of the open air on the road. They don’t enjoy other drivers not keeping a watchful eye out for them. Even though all drivers should pay attention to what is going on, not all of them do and this, as we know, leads to devastating accidents.
One of the biggest hazards that motorcycle riders face is other drivers. Just to show the scope of the problem, think about this: When another vehicle is involved in a motorcycle crash, there is a 66.6 percent chance that the crash was caused by the motorist failing to yield the right of way to the motorcycle.
Reasons motorists don’t see motorcycles
There are many reasons why motorists might not see motorcycles. One is that motorcycles have such a small profile. This makes it difficult for other vehicles to see motorcycles, especially when there are obstacles in the area. Intersections are an especially troublesome area because other vehicles, signs, and shrubbery might stand in the line of sight.
Another reason is that some motorists are too distracted to watch for motorcycles. These drivers are a danger to other drivers on the road, so motorcyclists aren’t the only people who might suffer at the hands of these drivers.
Obstacles for motorcyclists
There are some instances in which other vehicles might be able to dodge a potential crash but motorcyclists can’t do so. When there are hazards on the roadway that prevent the motorcyclist from being able to move out of the way, a catastrophe can occur. For example, loose gravel on the edge of the road might prevent the biker from being able to cut toward that side of the road to avoid a vehicle coming into his or her lane.
Some motorcyclists don’t have the driving skills to react to every situation. This poses a problem in these instances because they simply don’t know what to do. Combine this with other issues and it is recipe for disaster.
Horrible consequences
Motorcycle accidents are very dangerous because the motorcyclist doesn’t have the protection of a vehicle frame and body. Motorcyclists are five times more likely than others to suffer injuries in a crash and 26 times more likely to die in one.
Each one of the victims of a motorcycle crash with another vehicle might opt to seek compensation. This could help them to defray the financial impacts of the injuries.
