It doesn’t take a mechanical engineer to realize that when a car collides with a motorcycle, the motorcycle is going to suffer the greater damage. Likewise, no matter who was at fault for the collision, the motorcyclist will suffer the most injurious consequences. As a result of this collision bias, bikers can’t afford to put their lives on the line by relying on motorists to drive safely—even if they should be able to.
Rather than assume that a driver will follow the rules of the road and allow you the easygoing ride you deserve, you need to anticipate that the driver won’t follow the rules and prepare yourself for the worst possible scenario.
Anticipating the Worst to Save Your Life
By foreseeing potential dangers before they occur, you can prepare yourself and plan alternative options for if they do occur.
Say you’re approaching an intersection. There are two cars in the left-turn lane pointed toward you. There is also a car with its right-turn signal on in the intersecting lane to your right. You have the green. What are the potential dangers that you should anticipate?
- The light turning red. Depending on how far you are from the intersection, you need to anticipate that the light will turn before you cross. This means that you need to slow down and make sure the light is a solid green before entering the intersection.
- One or both of the oncoming cars turning left. Depending on the intersection, the oncoming cars may have a blinking-red light which will allow their drivers to turn when oncoming traffic has the green. Although the turning car’s driver must wait for a break in oncoming traffic, he may not be alert to motorcycles and may not see you approach. Therefore, you must anticipate whether he sees you as well as whether he’ll attempt to turn in front of you.
- The right-turning car will turn in front of you. Depending on the intersection, vehicles can turn right on red. Before turning, drivers must make sure there is no traffic coming from the left, but again, as a fast-moving motorcycle, they may not see you and think the coast is clear. Therefore, you must anticipate whether they’ll attempt the turn in front of you and adjust your speed accordingly.
Theses are only a few examples of how anticipating another driver’s actions can prevent a collision. The significant point is that, as a motorcyclist, you need to be hyper-aware of your surroundings and predict what others may or may not do in order to protect yourself from a devastating collision.
Remember, when a driver makes a mistake that leads to a motorcycle accident, he’s not the one who’ll suffer the most from his negligence—you will. So, don’t get caught up in “he should stop” or “I have the right of way” arguments. Liability won’t save you, preparedness and evasive action will.
For more information on motorcycle safety or to talk to an experienced attorney about your accident, please contact us directly at 386.673.4412. Just because you couldn’t anticipate the collision doesn’t mean you deserve the consequences of someone else’s negligent driving. Call today and see how we can help you recover your damages.