Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month: How Drivers Can Prevent Accidents

 Posted on May 24, 2021 in Motorcycle Accidents

Spring is here, and summer is approaching, and this means that many motorcyclists will be looking to enjoy the warmer weather as they hit the road. In recognition of the increased motorcycle traffic during the spring and summer months, safety advocates have highlighted May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. 

While motorcyclists are encouraged to follow the proper safety precautions, such as wearing a helmet and keeping their motorcycles properly maintained, the fact is that other vehicles are the primary danger to motorcyclists. When drivers act negligently around motorcycles, this can lead to motorcycle accidents that are likely to inflict serious injuries on motorcyclists or lead to a person’s wrongful death. A motorcyclist who is injured in a motorcycle accident may be able to take legal action to recover financial compensation from a negligent driver.

Motorcycle Safety Practices Drivers Should Follow

Because motorcyclists face high risks of injury if they are struck by a motor vehicle, drivers should take extra care to notice motorcycles around their vehicles and take additional precautions to prevent collisions. Drivers will want to:

• Take extra time to look for motorcycles - Because motorcycles are small, a driver may fail to notice that a motorcycle is in their blind spot, and they may collide with the motorcycle or run a motorcyclist off the road when turning or changing lanes. Drives should always check their blind spots to avoid these types of collisions. They should also double-check for motorcycles traveling in all directions before proceeding through an intersection, wait until they can see around any obstacles (such as large trucks), and proceed with caution to avoid turning in front of a motorcycle or colliding with a motorcycle traveling in another direction.

• Give motorcycles enough space - Even though they are smaller than cars and trucks, motorcycles should be given a full lane to travel in. If a driver attempts to pass a motorcycle within their lane, this may not give a motorcyclist enough room to negotiate around potholes or other obstacles. Drivers should also be sure to avoid following motorcycles too closely. Because of the smaller size of motorcycles, drivers may have trouble judging their speed, and if they slow down suddenly, a driver may collide with them from behind.

• Avoid distracted driving - If drivers do not fully pay attention to the road, it can be easy to miss the movements of motorcycles or fail to notice that they are in a vehicle’s blind spot. Drivers should be sure to avoid activities that affect their ability to drive safely around motorcycles, such as talking or texting on a cell phone, eating and drinking, or reaching for objects in the vehicle.

Contact Our Decatur Motorcycle Accident Attorneys

While the month of May offers an opportunity to highlight practices that can protect motorcyclists’ safety, motorcycle accidents can occur at any time due to driver negligence. If you are a motorcyclist who has been injured by a negligent driver, Kanoski Bresney can help you take steps to hold the driver responsible for your injuries and damages. We will work with you to make sure you receive the financial compensation you need and deserve. Contact our Champaign motorcycle crash lawyers at 888-826-8682 to arrange your free consultation.

Sources:

https://msf-usa.org/SafetyAwarenessMonth.aspx

https://bgindependentmedia.org/may-is-motorcycle-safety-awareness-month-2/

https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/safety-topics/motorcycle-safety