Did you know that an overwhelming 80% of motorcycle crashes result in an injury? If you’re a biker, then this statistic should be alarming. A love for riding must include a dedication to safety, too.
To stay safe, you need to know the most common causes of motorcycle accidents. Increasing your awareness empowers you to remain safe on the road. So, are you ready to get started? Read on to learn what to look out for while riding.
1. Distracted Driving
How often do you take your eyes off the road even for a brief moment? It’s surprising how much we all do this very dangerous act while driving. Whether you’re looking at your phone or radio, you’re distracted!
You don’t have your full attention on watching the road and other cars. It’s called distracted driving, and it’s the leading cause of accidents.
Distracted drivers eat, smoke, jam out, or otherwise lose focus on driving. Doing so makes them more likely to cause a motorcycle crash.
2. Reckless Driving
Reckless driving is another leading cause of accidents. Drivers are reckless when they:
- Fail to adhere to traffic laws
- Speed
- Put other motorists in danger
- Get behind the wheel while intoxicated
- Text while driving
- Drive with aggression (cutting people off, tailgating)
All drivers have a duty to care for other motorists on the road. Don’t get caught slipping into reckless driving patterns.
3. Failure to Yield
Every driver knows that they need to yield to traffic when they don’t have the right-a-way. For some reason, many drivers fail to put this into action, though. They’ll often pull out into traffic despite other drivers coming their way.
Cars that are making left turns cause about 4 out of 10 motorcycle crashes. That’s because the turning car fails to yield to oncoming motorcycles. They often cite visibility issues as the reason why they failed to yield.
4. Lane Splitting
Have you ever been guilty of driving between two lanes of cars?
If so, then you’ve committed lane splitting. This type of behavior is a common cause of motorcycle accidents.
5. Corners
You likely didn’t expect to see this on our list! It’s true, though; corners are very dangerous for bikers. They’re easy to misjudge, and they can easily lead to a wipe-out.
Be very cautious around corners if you bike often. Be sure to check for debris, which often collect near corners. Hitting some debris on a corner can make it impossible to re-balance yourself.
Are you interested in learning what to do after a motorcycle accident? If so, go here for more information.
Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents
Were you aware of all the above causes of motorcycle accidents? The more you know, the better prepared you’ll be to stop an accident before one occurs. Remember, always stay vigilant while you’re on the road.
Staying safe while you’re driving is one of the best tips we could offer you in 2021. It’s far from the only one though! Keep browsing through our best advice zone to see more of the greatest tips we have to offer.
