How To Be a Safe Driver for Motorcyclists
Most drivers do not intend to create hazardous situations for motorcyclists in Houston, TX. Unfortunately, motorcycle accidents occur at a relatively high rate, as indicated by the Insurance Information Institute.
Understanding why motorcycle accidents in Houston happen and taking active steps to change your driving habits can reduce the number of crashes.
Here are some ways to become a safe driver for motorcyclists and how motorcyclists can seek compensation after a motorcycle accident caused by someone else.
Table of Contents
How Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Motorcycle Accident in Houston
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers has recovered tens of millions of dollars for accident victims in Houston. The firm’s Houston motorcycle accident attorneys have more than 45 years of combined experience fighting on behalf of their clients against at-fault parties and their insurers.
Some achievements earned by the firm’s lawyers include:
- Board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- 10.0 Superb rating by Avvo
The firm can assist with your case in the following ways, to name a few examples:
- Apprise you of your legal options as your case progresses
- Negotiate a settlement agreement on your behalf and file a lawsuit if necessary
- Hire experts to analyze and help strengthen your case for compensation
A motorcycle accident can leave you with severe injuries that prevent you from working. To discuss the compensation you can seek for your motorcycle accident injuries, contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers today in Houston, Texas, for a free consultation at (713) 500-5000.
How Common Are Motorcycle Accidents Caused by Auto Drivers?
Texas had 4,671 collisions between motorcycles and automobiles in 2021, according to Texas’s Crash Records Information System (CRIS). Of these crashes, 3,709 caused an injury or death. This means these collisions had a 79.4% injury rate.
These numbers are very high. According to one analysis, Texas’s motorcycle death rate ties Mississippi for the worst in the nation. Texas’s death rate is four to six times worse than the rate in the safest states in the country.
Motorcycle accidents are common in Texas, and these accidents cause an extraordinarily high number of injuries and deaths.
Overview of How To Be a Safe Driver for Motorcyclists
The CRIS database collects information from Texas accident reports. This data can tell you how motorcycle collisions happen and, more importantly, how to avoid them.
If you cause a motorcycle accident through negligence, you could bear liability for any resulting losses. These losses can include economic losses, such as the medical bills of anyone you injure, and non-economic losses, such as the pain and suffering the accident victims endure.
Since motorcycles provide little protection, motorcyclists can suffer catastrophic injuries in a crash. Minor injuries, like road rash, can happen in almost any accident where the motorcycle tips over and slides. Major injuries, like concussions or broken bones, can happen in more severe crashes.
Some ways you can reduce your chances of causing a motorcycle accident include:
Watch Your Blind Spots
Drivers can easily lose motorcycles in their blind spots due to their smaller size. Drivers who only use their mirrors or briefly check their blind spots might fail to spot a motorcycle until too late.
Auto drivers also have a cognitive bias in favor of cars and against motorcycles. One study found that 48% of test subjects looked but failed to see motorcycles during a driving simulation.
The researchers concluded that the brain filters out motorcycles because it does not give motorcycles significance while driving. Since motorcycles do not pose a threat to automobiles, drivers tend to overlook them.
In 2021, CRIS listed over 400 motorcycle collisions caused by unsafe lane changes. Looking for motorcycles and automobiles when changing lanes will keep motorcyclists safe.
Navigate Intersections Carefully
According to CRIS, the most common cause of collisions between automobiles and motorcycles was a failure to yield the right of way. These accidents can happen when cars turn left across the path of an oncoming motorcycle or when they turn right into the path of an approaching motorcycle.
These accidents can occur because the driver does not see the motorcycle approaching. But more often, they happen because drivers misjudge the speed or distance of motorcycles.
Most drivers have never ridden a motorcycle. As a result, they do not understand the motorcycle’s capabilities and misjudge how fast it can accelerate. Due to its smaller size, drivers also have trouble estimating the distance to a motorcycle.
When you navigate intersections, watch approaching motorcycles carefully. By pausing just a few seconds, you can avoid moving into the path of an approaching motorcycle that is closer or moving faster than it first appeared.
Slow Down
Another common cause of motorcycle accidents is speeding. When you travel at an unsafe speed, you risk losing control of your vehicle. You might also drift out of your lane on curves or turns. And if you approach a motorcycle too quickly, you might not have enough time to stop if you are speeding.
Slowing down will expand the window you have to avoid hitting a motorcycle in your path. It will also reduce your vehicle’s energy if you do hit a motorcycle.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Houston Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
A motorcycle accident can result in serious injuries, even when the motorcyclist wears a helmet. To discuss the compensation you can seek for a motorcycle accident injury, contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation. Our Houston motorcycle accident attorneys can help.
