The common causes of motorcycle collisions in the world
**A contributed post as written for The Safe Driver by Ashley Thompson .
With too many four-wheeled vehicles causing unwanted traffic jams these days, more and more people are switching to motorcycles as their preferred mode of transport. After all, with a motorcycle, you can weave your way through the middle of some traffic jams and get to your destination faster and in less time than what you’d normally take while driving a car, SUV or truck. However, riding a motorcycle also puts you at greater risk of becoming involved in a collision. And with more and more motorcycle collisions getting reported all over the world, it’s time to take a closer look at some of the common causes as to why they’re happening on a global scale:
- A motorcyclist operated their vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.
Drinking alcohol and driving any vehicle isn’t a good combination. It’s already risky enough to do when you’re driving a four-wheeled vehicle, even more so when driving a motorcycle that has only two wheels.
- Unfortunately, some motorcycle riders fail to restrain themselves from consuming alcoholic drinks, especially as almost every social gathering these days isn’t complete without the serving of alcohol.
- The very minute you decide to ride your motorcycle, you should refuse to take any alcoholic drink. The host of the social gathering that you’ve attended would surely understand as they don’t want to be held liable for letting you drive your way back home and in doing so cause a motorcycle collision.
- Or if you can’t resist the pull of drinking even a single drop of alcohol, you should leave your motorcycle parked in your garage and take a cab instead.
2. A motorcycle rider doesn’t have enough experience yet in riding their vehicle.
You may have been under the impression that learning how to ride your motorcycle is very much the same as learning how to ride a bicycle.
- However, it’s best to treat your motorcycle more like a car and less like a bicycle. That way, you can operate your motorcycle better without getting too sloppy whenever you take it out on the road.
- If you can afford it, you should go to a driving school that offers proper motorcycle riding lessons instead of trying to figure out how your motorcycle works by merely looking at its owner’s manual and searching for basic operations via the Internet. Enrolling in driving school might sound a bit too costly for you, and something that you might believe is best reserved for drivers of four-wheeled vehicles instead, but it can ensure that you’ll be a defensive driver even if your vehicle of choice is a motorcycle.
3. A motorcycle rider drove their vehicle faster than a road’s designated speed limit.
You may have bought yourself a motorcycle to arrive at your destination faster, but it doesn’t mean that you have every right to go beyond the designated speed limit of a road that you’re driving along.
- When any vehicle – motorcycle or otherwise – goes beyond a road’s speed limit, it can get detected by radar or laser.
- Thus, every time you’re out on the road with your motorcycle, you should check its speedometer and ensure that you’re maintaining a driving speed that’s within the posted speed limit so that you won’t get into trouble and get ticketed by traffic enforcement for speeding.
4. A motorcycle rider drove their vehicle in less than ideal road conditions.
Let’s face it: No one can control the weather. Thus, you may find yourself riding your motorcycle on a clear, sunny day one minute, and then suddenly having to make your way through rain or snow the next.
- Roads get slippery when wet, and riding a motorcycle gives you less control over your vehicle which can make you more prone to having a collision compared to driving a four-wheeled vehicle.
- Thus, when riding a motorcycle in inclement weather, you should drive a bit slower than your usual driving speed and not rush your way into it so that you can remain safe.
- Not only should you operate the motorcycle more cautiously in inclement weather but you should avoid riding at all if the rain or snow poses a serious threat to your safety or that of others. Either wait it out and be sure the roads are dry before riding or take a cab or public transportation to your destination instead. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
According to the World Health Organization, more than one million people have their lives cut short as a result of getting caught in a vehicular accident. A certain percentage of it includes motorcycle riders whose risk of being involved in a road collision is significantly greater than most other drivers. As you’re a motorcycle rider yourself, you’d want to know some of the common causes of motorcycle collisions in the world so that you can avoid any of them from happening to you. But in case you do get caught in a motorcycle collision, it’s best to contact a lawyer as soon as possible so that you can exercise your legal rights as a motorcycle rider.
Ashley Thompson
Ashley Thompson is a promising young law writer. She hopes to apply her years of study into helping explain legal issues to the public. Ashley loves cooking 
and often cooks for her family during weekends.