Common Driver Errors That Lead To Collisions With Motorcycles

Safety cannot be stressed enough when riding your motorcycle. You may have taken all the necessary precautions – making sure your bike is in operating order along with wearing the right protective gear.

However, all these safety measures may have no effect if a motor vehicle driver makes a mistake on the road; one that lead to a collision with your bike with you on it. When colliding with a car, SUV or large truck, bikers are nearly guaranteed injuries, some of which can prove serious and even fatal.

Veering into your path

Among the common driver mistakes that may lead to crashes with motorcycles include:

• Left turns in front of a motorcycle: Whether they are in a hurry, fail to see an oncoming motorcycle, misjudge the distance between them or the speed of the motorcycle, a motor vehicle driver can make a terrible mistake with a left turn. Of the nearly 2,500 two-vehicle fatal crashes that involved a motorcycle and another vehicle in 2019, more than 1,000 or 41% of the crashes happened when the other vehicles turned left while the motorcycles traveled straight or were passing or overtaking the vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
• Lane changes that veer into path of the motorcycle: Drivers must always be aware of their blind spots while out on the road. With obscured vision, they must regularly check those blind spots. But drivers also may make this dangerous move while not paying attention or distracted.
• Crashing into the rear of the motorcycle: Inattentive and distracted drivers may give little or no notice to a motorcyclist, crashing into them from behind while the bike is stopped in traffic. This is no fender-bender for a motorcyclist as the result could prove fatal. More than one-third of motorcycle fatalities in 2019 took place at intersections, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

As inattentive and distracted driving behavior grow at a fast pace, motorcyclists must stay extra alert no matter the circumstances.

Road awareness is on your side

Road awareness is always important for any motorcyclist. Understanding some of the common mistakes caused by other drivers just may save the life of biker and his or her passenger.