distracted
The same freedom that provides motorcycling the feeling of escape and allure from everyday driving includes an additional risk of serious injury in the event of an accident. This article aims to highlight two critical aspects of motorcycle safety. Understanding distracted driving’s risk factors and implementing proper safety precautions will help minimize the significance of each motorcycle accident. An Omaha motorcycle accident lawyer at Knowles Law Firm can help discuss your compensation options for any injuries and provide the legal guidance you deserve.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of motorcycle accidents across the US. Drivers who are texting, talking on the phone, eating, or engaging in any other activity that diverts their attention from the road are more likely to fail to notice motorcyclists and other vehicles, increasing the risk of accidents.
Typically, distracted driving is thought of as strictly DUI or texting and driving related factors. While these are major inclusions under the distracted driving definition, there are plenty of other common activities that are affecting drivers in additional ways. The reality is, any activity that is actively diverting a driver’s attention away from the road in front of them is a form of distracted driving that should be avoided and prevented.
It is important to be able to contextualize how dangerous distracted driving is in order to properly understand and prevent unnecessary risk factors. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, there were over 3,000 distracted driving fatalities in 2020 alone. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents in the US and over 300,000 people were injured as a result. The nearly 8 individuals a day the National Safety Council projects are killed in fatal distracted driving accidents are the reason behind the continuous effort to identify and address key risk factors.
Failure to Yield
Many motorcycle accidents occur when other drivers fail to yield the right of way to motorcyclists, particularly at intersections or when changing lanes. Motorcycles are smaller and less visible than cars, making them more susceptible to drivers who overlook them or misjudge their speed.
This contributes to making intersections an exceptionally dangerous place for motorcyclists. When two vehicles approach an intersection, the vehicle that arrives first has the right-of-way. Because other vehicles wrongly treat bicyclists and motorcyclists differently, it’s a regular occurrence for a vehicle to turn or proceed illegally.
Defensive driving is a key way for motorcyclists to combat circumstances that are inflicted todrivers through no fault of their own. Wearing the appropriate safety gear is an easy way to limit your injuries in the event of a crash. The single most important piece of safety gear being the helmet. Characterized by a hard outer shell and crushable inner liner, the appropriate motorcycling helmet that follows federal safety standards will significantly reduce the impact of serious head injury.
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