Motorcycle riders face greater dangers of suffering severe injury or death than other drivers if they get into an automobile accident. A sudden impact can fling a rider off the bike and onto a concrete pavement or other hard surface. Fender benders are one kind of accident that can endanger the lives of Florida motorcyclists as they ride on the road.
Ride Apart provides some information on fender benders and motorcycles, explaining where fender benders tend to happen and how to avoid them. While it may not be possible to avoid every fender bender, knowing where and why they may happen can help prevent the worst case scenario from occurring.
Where fender benders occur
A driver may cause a fender bender anywhere while driving, but generally, motorcycles are most likely to sustain one while stopped on the road. A motorcyclist, like any motorist, has to stop when events call for it, like at a stop sign or a red light. Motorcycle riders may also need to stop when approaching an intersection or a crosswalk. At times, unexpected events like pedestrians or animals crossing the road may require a motorcyclist to hit the brakes.
The problem is that a car driver approaching a stopped motorcycle may not be paying full attention to what the motorcycle rider is doing. As a result, the driver may slam into a motorcycle in a fender bender, but with more devastating results than if the car had hit another vehicle. Because the motorcyclist is not enclosed within the frame of an automobile, the fender bender can severely injure or even kill the rider.
Ways to avoid fender benders
Motorcyclists can take steps to avoid fender benders. One way is for a bike rider to try not to stop with vehicles closing in from behind. Some motorcyclists change lanes to avoid the possibility of approaching rear traffic. Some bike riders stop on the side of a lane and flash their lights to alert vehicles that may approach. Motorcyclists may have to maintain extra vigilance to watch if a vehicle is approaching too fast to avoid a collision.
Bike riders may also increase alertness during times when reckless drivers are more likely to be on the road. According to the National Safety Council, more impaired drivers operate on the road during nighttime than during the day. Some riders may decide to put off a ride until later. It may also help to check out visibility conditions and delay a ride until conditions improve.
