Posted in News on November 27, 2015
Although the winter months means that most motorcyclists in Montana will put away their bikes until the warm weather returns, it is possible that riders might take their motorcycles out a few more times this year. Because of that, it is important to remain conscience of possible causes of motorcycle crashes and ways to avoid them.
How can riders avoid common causes of motorcycle accidents? The best way to avoid a motorcycle incident or at least avoid serious or fatal injuries if one were to occur is motorcycle safety. Rider education and wearing a helmet and protective clothing significantly improves the chances of avoiding crashes and serious injuries.
One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is when a car turns left in front of them. If a car fails to see a biker or misjudges their speed, this could easily result in a crash. The best way to avoid this is to simply always be on the lookout for this to occur.
Actions by a motorcyclist could result in a crash, this includes hitting gravel in a blind corner, entering a corner too fast, locking the front breaks, riding with reckless bikers and driving too fast in inclement weather. The best ways to avoid these is by riding at a pace that is safe and allows time for reactions. This might mean adjusting speed for conditions on the road or others traveling in the area.
Many times, motorists are careless or negligent around motorcyclists, which unfortunately leads to motorcycle accidents. Common causes are failing to check blind spots, traveling too closely and opening a door without checking oncoming traffic. These actions could lead to a sideswipe or the biker losing control, a rear-end collision or a motorcyclist colliding with a door.
The best way to avoid these types of crashes is by staying out of the blind spots of vehicles, creating a crumple zone between vehicles and not traveling between an active traffic lane and parked cars. While these could help prevent motorcycle collisions, the negligence of a driver could easily lead to a crash between a motorist and a biker.
If a negligent driver is at fault in a motorcyclist accident, he or she could be held liable for the damages and losses arising from the crash. A civil action such as a personal injury claim could help an accident victim recover compensation to address the financial burdens related to the accident.
Source: Rideapart.com, “10 Common Motorcycle Accidents and How to Avoid them,” Wes Siler, Aug. 12, 2013