Florida continually ranks in the top three states in the nation for motorcycle accident fatalities. A recent study found that the top 3 motorcycle accident causes in Florida may be preventable if riders and drivers are mindful of basic motorcycle safety practices.
The most common reasons for motorcycle crashes, according to the Florida Department of Transportation Research, are:
Left Turn Across Path: That is a car makes a left turn across the lane in the path of an oncoming motorcycle. Experts cite a variety of reasons why this occurs, but it’s often because the driver of the car misjudges the speed of the motorcycle.
Following Too Closely: A rider runs into the rear end of the vehicle in front because it’s following too closely. It could also involve the driver of a car following a biker too closely. Many drivers don’t realize that a bike can stop much more quickly than a passenger vehicle or a truck.
Run-Off-Road: A car might run a biker off the road by a reckless right turn or a careless, quick lane change. A biker might run himself off the road. According to a recent study, “run-off the road” is “the largest crash type accounting for almost half of the crash events, often involve late-night weekend crashes, occurring on rural roads, on higher speed roadways and at curves, and motorcyclists with high BACs.”
Avoiding the Top 3 Motorcycle Accident Causes
Drivers need to think in terms of avoiding the top 3 causes of car accidents involving motorcycles because many bike crash injuries and motorcycle accident deaths could be avoided if drivers of trucks and passenger cars were more mindful of motorcycles on the road. For drivers, Motorcycle Safety Awareness means “Look Twice For Motorcycles.”
To reduce motorcycle accidents and injuries bikers can avoid high-risk behavior, adjust speed to conditions, wear a helmet, and always focus on the road.
The Rolando Motorcycle Accident Attorneys at the Martinez Manglardi personal injuiry law firm have been winning settlements for motorcycle accident victims for nearly 35 years. For a free consultation, call 866-729-9541 and see a motorcycle accident specialist at one of our convenient locations.
