What is the best way to protect yourself if you have been rear-ended by a car? Here are five tips:
Driver following too closely
If you see a cyclist riding on a country road, you are most likely following too close. This can be avoided by maintaining a safe distance. It is a good rule of thumb to count three seconds after the motorcycle passes you. However, this distance can change with speed. Consider locating a stationary object ahead of you and counting from there. As soon as your vehicle passes the object, you will have established a safe following distance.
This video shows you the dangers of following too closely. The driver who is following too closely isn’t able to stop in time to avoid a collision and could not see the motorcycle in front of them. A motorcycle is much more vulnerable to rear-end collisions than a car, and following too closely can put you at risk of getting hit by a driver who is not paying attention.
Speeding
All age groups saw a decrease in fatal accidents involving speeding. The highest rate of speeding in fatal crashes involving young male drivers was between 15 and 20 years old. The proportion of women speeding was 18%. Excessive speeding reduces the reaction time of a driver and increases the distance a vehicle needs to stop. Excessive speeding also reduces the ability of road safety structures to protect the occupants of a vehicle.
A motorcyclist who causes a fatal crash may be responsible for causing the accident. A lane-splitting motorcycle operator may be at fault for causing the accident. California law prohibits a driver from blocking a motorcycle’s lane-splitting. The motorcycle driver may also be to blame for the accident if he or she failed to properly slow down. An accident reconstruction expert can determine the speed of a motorcycle and will analyze the evidence to determine the percentage of fault.
Most rear-end collisions occur because the driver who was tailgating a motorcycle is at fault. Motorcyclists have a duty to look around and see if a car is slowing down. This forced the motorcyclist lay down the bike in order to avoid collision. Thus, the motorcyclist was probably negligent and liable for the accident. The driver could have been negligent by speeding despite obvious danger signs.
A motorcycle operator was seven times more likely to be speeding when the crash occurred than a passenger vehicle driver. In the same study, 63 percent of the fatalities involved motorcycles and ten percent involved passenger vehicles. In addition to speeding, alcohol was also a contributing factor in 25 percent of the crashes. It is probable that accidents will be more serious if alcohol is involved.
Motorcyclists will not yield if you fail to yield
You might wonder if the other driver gave you the right of way if you’ve ever been rearended by a motorcycle. In fact, many crashes result from drivers’ failure to yield to a motorcycle, including those on country roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 61% of motorcycle crashes are caused by drivers failing to yield to motorcyclists. In addition, the majority of motorcycle-pedestrian crashes occur on non-interstate roads. Moreover, most motorcycle accidents occur between May and October, which coincides with peak motorcycle riding season.
In such a scenario, the other driver’s car has no time to react to the motorcycle’s presence. A failure to yield crash can cause a motorcycle to collide with the at-fault vehicle, leaving the victim’s vehicle in the path of the at-fault driver. It is important that injured motorcyclists contact an injury lawyer immediately. An injury lawyer can review the evidence and help you build the strongest case possible for damages recovery.
The other driver who fails to yield to a motorbike may be responsible for the accident. Failure to yield cases are often difficult to settle because the driver may be partly at fault. The driver’s insurance company could deny a settlement or reduce a claim by reducing a certain percentage of fault. The case could end up in court.
Motorcyclists are often not willing to yield to a motorcycle and this can lead to injury. This is because motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles, and they can easily hide in unnoticed areas. Drivers should also take the time to check for motorcycles before turning. If they fail to see a motorcycle, they may accidentally clip them while executing a turn.
Lane splitting
Motorcyclists behind the wheel of a motorbike are more likely to be involved in lane splitting accidents than those who lane split. Drivers who attempt to lane split usually do so without considering the speed differential or overall traffic speed. A motorcycle is more likely to crash if it is at a higher speed than the average driver. Avoid lane splitting in front of large vehicles and lingering at blind spots. The following tips will help you avoid a motorcycle rear-end crash.
Rear-end collisions on country roads are a common occurrence for drivers. A motorcycle riding too close to another vehicle is the most common cause of such accidents. Lane splitting is dangerous for all drivers, not just motorcyclists. Most drivers do not expect a motorcyclist to ride in the same lane as them, so they leave themselves vulnerable to injury.
California now allows lane splitting. Motorcyclists are required to travel no more than 10 mph slower than other traffic. This means that riders should not split lanes with slower traffic if they are traveling 30 mph. Fortunately, California is the only state where lane splitting is explicitly legal. The California Highway Patrol released new guidelines in September 2018.
While this practice has long been prohibited on country roads, it is a common practice in other countries. Motorcyclists often use lane splitting, also known by white lining, to avoid having to stop in heavy traffic. It is also possible to perform similar traffic maneuvers, such as filtering, to avoid lane splits. A motorcycle rear-end is a serious case that should be reported to law enforcement.