Motorcycle Safety Tips for All Drivers

When most people think about motorcycle safety, their first thought is often about the things that motorcycle riders can do. But it’s important to remember that all drivers share the road, and while there are safety tips that motorcycle riders can implement, there are also safety tips that car and truck drivers should keep in mind.

The issue of motorcycle safety is an important one. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), recent years have seen an increase in motorcycle fatalities, with 4,927 motorcyclists killed in traffic accidents, compared to 4,630 killed in 2011. While motorcycles represented only three percent of all vehicles in the U.S. in 2012, these deaths accounted for 15 percent of all traffic fatalities that year.

Injuries resulting from traffic crashes have also seen an increase, with 93,000 such injuries in 2012, up from 81,000 in 2011. Overall, the statistics show that motorcycle riders are 26 times more likely to be killed as a result of a traffic crash, and five times more likely to be injured.

What are some things that motorcyclists can do, safety-wise? The NHTSA recommends safety tips such as wearing protective gear, including a DOT-compliant helmet, obeying all traffic laws, not riding while distracted or impaired, using hand and turn signals to indicate a lane change or a turn, increasing visibility by wearing brightly colored clothing and using reflective tape, staying in the middle of the lane to be more visible to drivers and staying off the roads when weather conditions are poor.

Car and truck drivers can also do their part to help make the roads safer for motorcyclists, such as giving motorcycles the full width of the lane, remembering to signal and check your mirror and blind spots when changing lanes or merging with traffic, keeping an appropriate distance away when driving behind a motorcycle, not engaging in distracted driving or impaired driving and always making sure that a motorcycle is turning before you proceed.

After a car accident, an experienced attorney is one of the few people who will advocate for your best interests. Robert Greening is the principal attorney at Greening Law, P.C. He has dedicated his 24 years of practice to the litigation of wrongful death and serious injury cases. If you have any questions, contact Greening Law, P.C. at 972-934-8900.