What Causes Motorcycle Accidents?

Motorcycles accidents happen all around us. They are impossible to ignore. In fact, the insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that for every mile, bikers’ risk of injury is 35 times greater than a car driver’s. Yet, there is something beautiful about riding a motorcycle that overcomes all of the risks involved. Motorcycles can be fun and exciting, but they can also become dangerous at the hands of the wrong person. Often the best way to avoid an accident is to look at the most common reasons motorcycle accidents occur.

Lack of Skill

One of the most common reasons motorcycle riders get into accidents is because of lack of skill. The DMV Motorcycle Handbook says that half of the collision involving motorcycles happened to riders with less than six months of experiences. Riding a motorcycle typically more physical and mental involvement than driving a car.  There are a lot more things to do and think about when riding a motorcycle, such as, “Is it supposed to rain?”  Or “Am I positioned in this lane for maximum visibility?”

A motorcycle rider has no space for error.  Being a bike rider means having to ride perfectly while accepting the fact that you can still get seriously injured by a driver driving who might not be paying attention. The Department of Motor & Vehicles claims that 80% of the motorcycle accidents happened because of the person driving a car.

Lane Splitting

Lane splitting is when motorcycles ride in the same lane as another vehicle that might be traveling slower or has stopped in traffic. This type of driving practice is illegal in most states and controversial in the rest of them. For instances, California has no traffic law that explicitly prohibits lane splitting but officials use other laws to interpret lane splitting as unlawful. Lane splitting is dangerous and all it takes is for a small thing to go wrong and you are on your way to the hospital.

Dangerous Left Turns

The top reason for motorcycle accidents are left hand turns. These types of collisions account for 42% of accidents involving motorcycles. Most of the times the person driving the car will be found at fault, but if the motorcycle rider is found speeding or in the wrong lane, the motorcycle rider can be found partially at fault.

The best way to avoid a motorcycle accident is to be alert, ready, and safe. There are more than 8 million motorcycles on the road in the United States. Many of these states have implemented laws to lower motorcycle accidents, like wearing a helmet, but the law can only do so much. The road can be safer if everyone does their part in making it safe.