The weather in the Seattle area is warming up and people have started enjoying the outdoors more and more. This also means that there will be more and more motorcycles on the roads. Motorcycles are much smaller than other vehicles on the roads and other drivers need to pay attention to ensure that they are not causing motorcycle accidents, which can be devastating for motorcycle riders.
Tips for driving safely around motorcycles
As drivers of motor vehicles are typically looking out for larger vehicles while driving, there are some actions drivers can take to help keep motorcycle riders safe.
- Take extra time to check blind spots before changing lanes to ensure there are no motorcycles in the other lane, especially at night when it can be even more difficult to see them
- Keep more distance between the vehicle and the motorcycle when driving behind them to prevent rear-ending the motorcycle. What may be a fender bender for a car can be catastrophic for a motorcycle.
- Give more distance when passing a motorcycle because of the draft given by motor vehicles
- Take an extra look before taking left turns at intersections. It can be easy to miss a motorcycle in the opposite lanes and judging their speed can be difficult as well
- Watch for turning motorcycles both in front of the driver and also when traveling behind motorcycles
Following these tips can be very important. Motorcycle accidents usually leave the rider in a much worse position than the driver of the vehicle. Riders have very little protection and what may seem like a minor accident for the motor vehicle can cause severe injuries or death for the rider.
Unfortunately, there are many motorcycle accidents in the Seattle area every year. If they are caused by the driver of a motor vehicle the driver may be required to compensate the rider for the injuries they caused in the accident. It is important that the motorcycle rider is made whole after the accident and experienced attorneys may be able to assist.