This week we are kicking off National Motorcycle Safety Awareness month! We’ve already discussed safety for cyclists and motorcyclists. Today we will go over what the drive can do to help out those who prefer two wheels to four. Just over a third of all motorcycle crashes are single vehicle crashes where you can only blame yourself or road conditions. But if you are in a crash with another vehicle, chances are high that it may be the other driver’s fault. Research into motorcycle crashes shows that the other driver is at fault in up to 70% of motorcycle crashes with other vehicles. In many of these crashes the driver will say they simply didn’t see the motorcycle until it was too late.
Taken and revised from another site, this spells out “Sorry Man I Didn’t See You – SMIDSY.” Research has found that drivers who are unfamiliar with motorcycles are significantly more likely to have a crash with a motorcycle. This means that people who do not ride, or know someone else who rides, are more likely to crash into a motorcycle. We are responsible while on the road, whether we want to admit it or not. Drivers should always be aware of their surrounds, double check the next lane if you have to. Be very wary of your blind spots; it is your car, you know it better than the motorcyclists. With this series finished I hope we can make the roads a bit safer this May for bikes, motorcycles, and all drivers!