Motorcycle accidents often have massive impacts for those involved. Without the added protection a car offers, motorcyclists are vulnerable to serious injuries if they are hit or knocked off of their bike by another vehicle.
There have been numerous campaigns over the years trying to inform car, van and truck drivers to be even more careful and look out for motorbikes on the roads.
We decided to help the cause and print a few useful tips for drivers out there to take on-board and make sure you stay safe on the roads and don’t end up in an accident with a motorbike.
The obvious ones – As the weather turns bad!
Wet Roads
Keep an extra safe distance from any vehicles around you. Remember that a wet road is harder to stop on – leave yourself a bigger distance between your car and any vehicle in front, and brake much more gently than normal. If traffic stops quickly in front of you, you should have enough time to bring your car to a gentle halt. Slam the brakes on, and you will probably end up skidding and crashing – which of course you do not want to do. You don’t want to end up skidding in to a motorcyclist! Keep an eye on your wing mirrors, especially when changing lanes.
Darker Days
Make sure you have your headlights on! I know this is obvious, but on a wet winter’s day, if the skies are grey and the air is thick with moisture, you will want to have your lights on during the daytime if visibility is reduced. Make yourself as visible as possible to other road users. Make sure to keep a closer eye out for motorbikes! They are hard to spot at the best of times; in wet and grey conditions, they are even harder to spot.
The general ones – Where we should always look out for bikes
Changing Lanes
It’s easy to spot a car when merging in to another lane, but not so easy to spot a bike! Remember that motorbikes often use the centre of lanes to bypass traffic. Check your wing mirrors as well as your rear view mirror carefully – don’t miss the blind spots.
Turning in to a New Road
Motorcyclists are often on the edge of the carriageways to bypass traffic. If you are turning in to a new road, make sure to use your wing mirrors to look out for bikes. If it’s a single lane carriageway, don’t just assume you are safe – a motorbike could be preparing to overtake you or may be travelling close behind you on your left side. Make sure to not end up turning in to the path of a rider.
Junctions
I’m sure you have all seen the adverts. Look, look, and look again (and again to be extra safe) in both directions. It’s easy to spot a car – but not so easy to spot a motorbike. Make sure you’re not just looking for cars when merging from a junction on to a new road.
Parking Up
So, you’ve parked your car on the side or the road and you’re ready to step out. What should you do first? Check your mirrors! You don’t want to end up opening your vehicle door in to the path of a motorcyclist.
These are all rather obvious – but nevertheless important – tips to avoid accidents with motorcyclists on the road. It’s really all about taking extra care, and not just looking out for cars. All drivers have an important duty of care to make sure they look out for bikes on the road – we must make sure to remember this.
Here at The Injury Lawyers we are specialists in motorcycle injury claims. Being experts, we are qualified to represent victims whom have suffered serious injuries from accidents – we often represent motorcycle accident victims whom have suffered significant injuries through another driver’s negligence.
If you have any queries about a potential claim of any kind, call our claims team free from a landline or mobile on 0800 634 7575. We will talk you through your claim and, if accepted, make sure that you receive the most compensation possible to give you peace of mind and help ease any financial worries you might have suffered as a result of your injury.