If you like to ride motorcycles, then you might do it strictly for transportation, or maybe it’s your hobby. Perhaps you do both. You can use motorcycles for conveyance purposes, but some people also like to add aftermarket features and to go on long rides on the weekends to feel the wind whipping past them. It’s liberating.
However, you also can’t deny that there’s a danger element that goes along with riding motorcycles. You might have a car hit you at any time. If it happens, then that can seriously injure you. That’s because you don’t have the protective metal shell around you with a motorcycle that you do with cars.
Legal help is crucial after a motorcycle accident, especially if you feel sure the other driver caused the crash. You must consult with a qualified lawyer who can represent you if you pursue a lawsuit.
You should also know about some of the most common situations that can cause a motorcycle wreck. If you know about them, then you can usually take steps to avoid them. You can’t guarantee that you won’t cause an accident if you stay away from these scenarios, but it makes you safer.
Bad Weather
You can avoid going out riding on your motorcycle in bad weather situations. Maybe you live in a part of the country that sees heavy rain at certain times of the year. Perhaps your region also gets heavy snow and ice in the winter.
Maybe you live in a spot where you see fog, mist, freezing rain, sleet, or hail. You might even get a combination of those sometimes.
No matter what kind of bad weather you see when you look outside the window, you shouldn’t take your motorcycle out in it. If you do, you’re running an unnecessary risk.
Your family won’t want to see you go out in bad weather, especially if you have kids. You need to think about them, as well as your spouse or significant other, if you have one. Maybe you’re their main provider, and riding a motorcycle in such conditions makes little sense unless you feel you have no other choice.
If you have to go to work in these conditions, drive a car, if you have one. You can also take public transportation.
You can always call off work as well. Even if you have a demanding boss, don’t put yourself at needless risk by braving the elements if you know you’ll face real danger by going outside.
Careless Drivers
You might get in an accident if you get too near a careless driver. This issue poses real problems, since you can’t really control or predict encountering such a person.
Maybe you always exercise extreme care while riding your motorcycle. You always wear a helmet and obey all traffic laws. Some driver next to you might not feel the same way about the rules of the road, though.
A careless driver might not notice you, since you don’t take up as much room on the road with your motorcycle as you would in a car. If they’re texting on the phone while driving, they might hit you before they even see you. These distracted driving incidents happen much more frequently these days with virtually everyone owning a cell phone.
You can’t know when you’ll encounter a bad driver. Just make sure to drive defensively and stay away from any driver who’s swerving or otherwise acting erratically.
Road Rage Incidents
Road rage incidents often cause motorcycle accidents. Maybe you pass a car with a driver in it who’s going very slowly. The incident enrages them, and they try to run you down.
Such situations happen relatively often these days. It seems as though some drivers have real problems with anger.
You might have a problem controlling your temper as well. If a vehicle’s driver or another individual on a motorcycle cuts you off or does something else reckless, try not to fly off the handle.
If you do, you may cause an accident. You might also end up getting the worst end of it. If you antagonize a car’s driver when you’re on a motorcycle, keep in mind that they’re in a much larger, heavier vehicle.
Drunk Driving
Drunk driving causes many motorcycle accidents. If you drink until you’re over the legal limit, and then you try to ride your motorcycle home, that can end disastrously for you.
You might also encounter a drunk driver. If so, they may not see you in time, and they may run you down.
Much like keeping an eye out for any driver who’s letting their phone or something else distract them, try to watch out for drunk drivers. You can’t tell whether someone drank excessively, but if they’re swerving all over the road, you might guess what’s happening.
If you notice someone driving recklessly, you can call in their license plate number if you have a smartphone on you. If you pull over to the side of the road and call 911, you might save someone’s life.
Speeding
Speeding causes many motorcycle accidents as well, just like it causes numerous car wrecks. If you ride a motorcycle, you’re already taking on a danger element. You may love the lifestyle, but you can at least stay somewhat safer by sticking to the speed limit.
If you speed, then the police might ticket you, but it’s also more likely you’ll cause an accident. Maybe you’ll skid and lose control on a wet patch or some unexpected sand or gravel.
You can lose control more easily if you’re riding at a faster rate of speed. To avoid this, stick to the speed limit, but also think about what you could lose if you act recklessly.
Many motorcycle riders can avoid the worst injuries and accidents by following these rules. You might enjoy the lifestyle that these machines afford you, but you can disprove the theory that motorcycle riders act dangerously.
