Common Motorcycle Accidents in South Florida
Riding a motorcycle is one of the most liberating feelings a person can experience. You’re faced with the freedom of the open road, the air on your skin, and the excitement of the movement. But, it can also be an extremely risky form of transportation. Despite this, they are also equipped so that, if driven properly, they can be relatively safe.
Motorcycles have features such as totally free eye-lines with no obstructions as well as great stopping power and tires that grip the road better than cars. As the old cliché goes, however, accidents do happen. Here are the ten most common types of motorcycle accidents and their causes so you can avoid motorcycle accidents and ride safer the next time you hit the road (https://rideapart.com/articles/10-common-motorcycle-accidents-and-how-to-avoid-them).
The Car turns from Oncoming Traffic
One of the most common types of accidents involves an oncoming car making a left turn across your lane of traffic and hitting you. This is usually because the car doesn’t see you. However, some drivers have a harder time judging motorcycle speeds as they drive because they are not used to them. This one is hard to avoid. If you’re a motorcyclist, you need to develop the ability to see possible dangers ahead and predict their behavior, so that you can be proactive instead of totally reactive. If you see a car in the oncoming traffic with his blinker on preparing to turn, assume that the car is going to pull out in front of you. Slow down and be ready to hit the brakes or move quickly if necessary.
Sudden lane changes
Probably the second most common accident is a car changing lanes without noticing you. You should always know where a car’s blind spots are. If you can see a driver’s eyes in their mirrors, then they should be able to see you. If you can’t, you may want to speed up or slow down so that you take yourself out of the blind spot.
Drinking and driving
Although this accounts for a large portion of bike wrecks, it is actually the one problem that is most easily fixable. The bottom line? Don’t drink and drive. Follow this rule and the problem will take care of itself.
Group ride accident
Group riding can be awesome. But if one of your riding buddies makes a mistake, it can take out everybody. To avoid this, make sure that everyone knows how to ride in the proper formation. If they don’t or are driving unsafely, drop out and ride it solo.
Locking the front brak
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If you lock down the front brake, you are going to wind up ditching into the asphalt while your bike rolls end-over-end down the road. Instead, learn to use that front brake properly. Practice in an empty parking lot if you need to but get this skill down until it’s like second nature before you head out on the road.
Loose gravel
Riding along curving country roads is heaven on a bike. But, if you come around a blind curve and hit an area of loose gravel or sand, it can quickly go very badly. Always be sure to slow down into curves and turns and then accelerate out of them. That way, if there is an obstruction, you can avoid it easier.
Opening car door
You see this one a lot in crowded cities. You’re riding past a car that is parked on the street when the door flies open without a moment’s hesitation. You should always ride away from parked cars at least one door length. This protects you from the doors and also from pedestrians who step out from between parked cars without looking.
Rain and snow
Precipitation can cause slippery road conditions that may make you anxious about an accident. The important thing to remember here is that you will need extra stopping time in the event of something happening, so slow it down. This will give you more of a chance to stop in time if you have to.
Rear-end collision
This is the most common accident for cars, but it can be fatal when you’re rear-ended and you don’t have all that metal surrounding you to protect you. If you are worried that a car won’t see you pull off to the side when you stop and flash your brake lights quickly. Also, as you are stopped, look behind you. If you see that a car isn’t slowing down, get out of the way.
Taking a corner too fast
Another big problem, this can be easily avoided by paying close attention to the road itself. Drive the correct speed for the road conditions and don’t go crazy when you can’t tell about possible twists and turns that lie ahead.
Contact Our Lawyers For Your Motorcycle Injury Lawsuits
If you are involved in a motorcycle accident contact our Florida motorcycle accident lawyer at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato.Click HERE for more information on how we can help you if you’ve been involved in a motorcycle accident.
We also help the victims of a motorcycle accident in the following cities:
