People may choose to ride motorcycles for the thrill that two-wheel transportation provides. Others prefer motorcycles because they are efficient. Regardless of why someone chooses to ride a motorcycle, they are at increased risk of severe injury when compared with people riding in enclosed vehicles.
Typically, motorcycle riders are aware of their vulnerability in traffic. They invest in the best safety gear they can purchase and remain vigilant in traffic. Unfortunately, motorcycle riders are vulnerable to collisions caused by drivers who may not focus as much on safety as they should.
The size and protective systems built into larger vehicles can give motorists a false sense of confidence in traffic. They may then cause crashes that put motorcycle riders in the hospital or worse. Why do drivers frequently hit motorcycles?
Drivers claim they couldn’t see the motorcycle
Motorcycles are hard to overlook. Despite what drivers may claim after a crash occurs, most people instinctively notice motorcycles in traffic. They tend to be loud and relatively large, even if they are smaller than four-wheeled vehicles. Visibility isn’t really the source of the issue.
The problem is that drivers don’t think about motorcycles when monitoring their surroundings. In traffic, drivers typically have too much incoming visual information to mentally focus on each detail of their surroundings. Their brains focus on the most safety-critical details that they notice in traffic.
People almost always notice buses, which are much larger than their vehicles. However, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians are easy for people to overlook if they do not intentionally prioritize looking for those smaller objects.
Inattentional blindness can lead to drivers making unsafe choices that then cause motorcycle crashes. They are still responsible for the aftermath of any collisions that they cause even if they claim they didn’t see the smaller vehicle.
Drivers typically provide insurance coverage when they are at fault for collisions. Motorcycle riders with injuries may need to consider filing a personal injury lawsuit, as their expenses could far exceed the insurance coverage available.
Understanding the most common causes of motorcycle collisions can help riders enhance their safety. They may also feel more confident holding drivers accountable for causing preventable wrecks.