While motorcycles only make up about 3% of all registered vehicles, they accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities in 2017. The main cause of these accidents was found to be that the vehicle drivers were unable to see the motorcycle drivers until it was too late. As Pennsylvania motorcycle riders and vehicle drivers work together, they can help to reduce the number of accidents that happen each and every year.
A look at the main problem
Most personal injury lawyers will reveal that their motorcycle clients were meeting the state mandates for visibility. For most states, this requires running the headlight on a motorcycle during daylight hours. The reality is that vehicle drivers are still having a problem seeing motorcyclists.
This isn’t a big surprise considering the fact that motorcycles are about 1/8 of the size of a motor vehicle. This makes them harder to pick up from a distance and makes them more susceptible to severe injuries when an accident does occur. It’s important for motorcycle drivers to try to become more visible and vehicle drivers need to pay closer attention to the roadway.
What can motorcycle drivers do to enhance their visibility?
Apart from following the state mandate of having their headlight on during daylight travel, motorcyclists can enhance their visibility in other ways. The most obvious way to enhance their visibility is to wear bright-colored clothing. This helps automobile drivers to pick up on the sight of motorcyclists before they’re too close to cause an accident.
Trying to reduce the number of motorcycle accidents that happen comes down to both motorcyclists and automobile drivers working together. With the main issue being a lack of visibility of the motorcyclist, there are multiple things that motorcyclists can do to enhance their visibility while on the roadway.
