Motorcycle accidents can happen in many different ways. However, it is well-known that left turn accidents are some of the most common – and therefore the most dangerous – accidents that take place.
Essentially, these accidents happen when someone else is turning left, but the motorcyclist is intending to drive straight. The other vehicle turns left when there isn’t enough space between the two, the motorcycle collides with the side of that vehicle during the turn and it is a very serious accident. Why do these mistakes happen?
Drivers don’t see motorcycles
First and foremost, many drivers don’t see motorcycles, and so they don’t even realize that they are turning when there is not enough space. For example, a motorcycle is smaller than a car and a dark bike may blend into the roadway. A driver who is only looking for passenger vehicles is simply going to overlook that motorcycle.
Drivers misjudge speed
Another major reason is simply that the driver who is turning misjudges the speed or the distance. This can also happen because of the small size of a motorcycle. A driver may assume that the motorcycle is still far off or moving slowly when it is actually moving quickly or much closer than anticipated. This is just because drivers are used to making these judgment calls based on the size of passenger vehicles.
Motorcycles get hidden
Finally, motorcycles can sometimes get hidden in other traffic. A lot of drivers who are turning left, for example, are simply watching traffic to wait for the gaps that they can turn through. They may not see the motorcycle because they just see the gap that it is driving in, and its small size makes them think it is a safe time to turn.
Those who have been seriously injured in these crashes need to know how to seek financial compensation from the drivers responsible.
