Among the many perks of living in California is the fact that there is rarely an “off season” when it comes to taking out your motorcycle. Around here, many riders get to enjoy the road year-round, but that also means that motorcycle accidents are an all-too-common occurrence. At McKnight, McKnight, McKnight & McKnight, we have a firm understanding of what is causing many of today’s motorcycle accidents, and we have assisted many clients who suffered injury because of another’s negligence.
According to RideApart.com, many motorcycle accidents share common factors, and sometimes, those factors include the actions of other drivers sharing the roadway. For example, the single-most common cause of modern motorcycle crashes is other motorists turning left in front of riders. This is likely due in part to the fact that driver brains are programmed to look for other cars before proceeding into an intersection, though not necessarily motorcycles. Many motorists also miscalculate the speed of motorcycles, and this, too, contributes to many accidents.
Another common cause of motorcycle accidents is when cars change lanes in front of you. Often, due to blind spots and the smaller size of motorcycles in comparison to passenger vehicles, drivers simply do not see motorcyclists before trying to merge into a lane already occupied by one. As a motorcycle rider, you can minimize your risk of this type of accident by taking care to see the eyes of the driver in his or her mirrors. If you cannot see the driver’s eyes, assume he or she cannot see you, either.
If you commonly hit the road in groups alongside other motorcycle riders, their negligent actions could, too, spell trouble for you. When riding in a group, the safest way to travel is in a staggered formation, so that one rider does not stop suddenly and then cause a domino effect, where other riders must do the same. These are just some of the ways in which others on the roadway endanger you as a motorcycle rider. More about motorcycle accidents is available on our web page.