Ways to Avoid Blind Spot Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcycle accidents occur in a wide variety of ways throughout the state of Colorado. Often, these accidents are caused by the careless or negligent actions of other drivers on the roadway. In some cases, these incidents are caused by third parties, including road construction companies or municipalities that fail to properly inspect and maintain the roadways. One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents is incidents involving the blind spots of larger vehicles. Here, we want to discuss how blind spot motorcycle accidents occur and ways to avoid them.

What are Blind Spot Motorcycle Accidents?

Any person who operates a vehicle has heard of blind spots. We all learn about blind spots in driver’s ed courses or from reading the driver’s manual. Blind spots are areas or zones on the road that cannot be seen by the driver when they are looking out of their rearview or side mirrors. In order to see in a blind spot, a driver has to turn their head towards that direction physically.

An unfortunate reality of riding a motorcycle is that these vehicles are smaller than the passenger cars or trucks around them. This makes motorcycles harder for a motorist to see if they happen to be riding in the vehicle’s blind spot.

A blind spot motorcycle accident could result in the motorcyclist sustaining severe injuries. If a vehicle driver fails to check their blind spot before changing lanes or making a turn, they could ram their vehicle into the motorcyclist. This could lead to the motorcyclist crashing onto the roadway, slamming into other vehicles in another lane, or even crashing completely off of the roadway. Unfortunately, motorcycle blind spot accidents often lead to a range of injuries, including the following:

• Severe lacerations or road rash
• Broken or dislocated bones
• Severe sprains or strains
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Internal organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Significant scarring or disfigurement

How to Avoid Blind Spot Motorcycle Accidents

If you are a motorcyclist, we know that you just want to enjoy the freedom of riding. It is important to take the steps that you can to avoid motorcycle accidents in Colorado. Some of the best ways for a motorcyclist to reduce the likelihood of being involved in a blind spot accident include the following:

• Avoiding riding in the blind spots. The absolute best way to avoid blind spot accidents is to avoid riding in blind spots to begin with. If possible, we recommend that motorcyclists ride in front of or behind a vehicle rather than to the side of a vehicle.
• Defensive driving. Motorcyclists have to be continuously aware of their surroundings, including the areas in front of and behind them. Motorcyclists should constantly scan the surroundings and try to give themselves extra space to anticipate the actions of motorists.
• Backing off of other vehicles. If possible, we recommend leaving at least 20 feet in front of the motorcycle and other motorists so that there is enough time to react to any hazardous situation.
• Wear brightly colored clothing. Motorcyclists could reduce the number of blind spot accidents by wearing brightly colored clothing to make themselves visible.
• Leaving headlights on. Motorcyclists can improve the visibility of their vehicles if they use their headlights, even if it is daytime and sunny out.
• Passing vehicles quickly. If a motorcyclist has to pass another vehicle, we recommend that they do so relatively quickly so that they are in the vehicle’s blind spot for as little time as possible.