There’s a lot to love about motorcycles. Their speed and agility provide a thrilling feeling of freedom and adventure for riders. Ask any rider you know and they will say that there’s nothing quite else like it. Unfortunately, this does not come without a risk. The government’s data shows that, per mile traveled, motorcycle deaths were 28x the number of automobile deaths in 2016.

This reflects common sense that a motorcycle accident is simply much more dangerous than a car accident. However, this is not meant to scare you away from motorcycles, but to underscore the importance of safe riding practices. And, the safest thing you can possibly do is avoid accidents altogether. To that end, here are some common dangerous scenarios that you should watch out for on the road.

A Car Turns Left in Front of You

This situation is responsible for more motorcycle accidents than any other. You are driving along, and a car on the other side of the road turns left across your lane without seeing you. Always be ready for this possibility by scanning the road ahead and identifying any cars waiting in the left turn lane.

You Take Corners Too Fast

This type of accident is completely preventable, since it is all up to you as a rider. Zooming through corners can be daring and exciting, but it isn’t the safest idea. You never know if there is a hazard like a pile of leaves, dirt, or gravel right around the corner. Enter the corner slowly, and accelerate out once you have better visibility.

A Car Switches into Your Lane

I’m sure ever driver, motorcycle or automobile, has had at least one close call in this situation. Out of nowhere, a car next to you decides it’s going to shift into your lane even though you are already in the space, only for them to realize it at the last second and hastily jerk back into their own lane. To avoid this, try to stay out of blind spots as much as possible.

You Try to Split in Between Lanes

We’ve all seen motorcyclists do this: traffic is stopped or moving slowly, and out comes a motorcycle bursting in between two lanes to get ahead. Even though it isn’t explicitly illegal, it is extremely dangerous and risky. You never know what the drivers you are passing will do, and by going so fast you limit your reaction time should someone open their door or try to switch lanes.

“Fender” Bender

This is the most common type of car accident, and it also occurs frequently with motorcycles. Since they are smaller vehicles, it can be more difficult to see a motorcycle when it stops abruptly, and cars can easily bump into the back of them. Though it isn’t especially dangerous between two cars, a car rear-ending a motorcycle spell significant danger for a rider. Try to brake well in advance to give cars behind you a better chance to react and take notice of you.

The only way to completely prevent an accident from happening is to stay off the road altogether. Sometimes, you can’t do anything about it. When someone exhibiting careless driving practices causes you to crash your bike and possibly even injures you, call The Troutman Law Firm as soon as possible. We take pride in representing motorcycle accident injury victims and earning them just compensation for their ordeal. Call us today for a free consultation at 407-647-5002.