Eyes on the Road: 3 Common Types of Motorcycle Accidents and How to Avoid Becoming a Grim Statistic


There’s no denying that riding a motorcycle can be dangerous, no matter where you are in the world. Without the safety of walls, crumple zones and specifically designed safety features that cars have, motorcycles need to be far more aware of what they’re doing while they’re out and about.
With over 92,000 motorcycle-related crashes every year in the US alone, with an included 4,295 deaths (2014),
it’s more important than ever before for riders to be proactive in not becoming another statistic.
Today, we’re going to explore three of the most common causes of these motorcycle accidents, as well as detailing what you can do to avoid them, helping you stay safe while out on the road doing what you love.

– Avoiding Head-On Collisions

Around 56% of all motorbike deaths come from head-on collisions with other vehicles, and around 78% of these deaths happen between a motorbike and a car. Of course, there are a lot of variables that can contribute to this, such as the weather conditions, maintenance of the vehicles and the speed in which both vehicles are travelling.
The best way to avoid these mistakes is to look at the road ahead and be focused; keeping your eyes out for potential dangers. Always keep to the right side of the road and always keep to the speed limits to minimize the risk of an accident happening.

– High-Speed Incidents

Another extremely common accident cause that happens is due to speeding and statistics show that in 33% of all fatal motorcycle accidents, the rider was speeding.
Of course, high-performance motorcycles, such as the ones listed on the American Motorcycle Trading Company, are usually capable of travelling and accelerating to high speeds, but this increases the risk of an accident taking place dramatically due to shorter reaction times and less control of the vehicle.
The best thing to remember here is to simply stick to the speed limits. They are there for a reason and will help you to stay safe.

– Struck by Left Turning Cars

One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is the bike being stuck while a car is turning left. In fact, statistics show this accounts for around 42% of all motorcycle accidents, so is definitely worth paying attention too.
There are multiple reasons this can happen, some of which include a situation where you’re trying to overtake a car, trying to pass the car, or if you’re passing straight through an intersection. In reality, these accidents happen between cars, but as we discussed above, motorbikes have a lot less protection.
To avoid this potential problem, make sure you’re paying attention to the actions of other cars on the road, and be extra vigilant when using intersections and roads with multiple lanes. Also, give cars enough space and travel at a safe speed, so you can spot people who are potentially going to turn.

Summary

As you can see, there are three very important things you’ll need to be thinking about and mindful of while you’re riding your motorcycle on the road. The most important thing is to be aware, stay educated on potential dangers and always put safety first.


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