Los Angeles drivers want to drive safely around motorcyclists. However, these people may not know exactly how to drive carefully around motorcyclists or prevent a serious motorcycle accident. What follows are a few tips about how drivers can stay safe around motorcyclists.
One of the first tips that experts, including insurance companies, offer the public is to follow what can be called the “4-second rule.” For most vehicles, a driver can safely follow two seconds behind. Motorcycles, however, require an additional following distance.
For instance, a motorcycle may not brake to slow down, meaning a car behind it can be right behind the motorcycle quickly and unexpectedly. In addition, motorcycles may have to stop, swerve or slow down for things like small obstacles or even gravel in the road.
On a somewhat related point, a driver’s frequent glancing in to the car’s blind spots comes in particularly handy when trying to avoid a motorcycle crash. Unlike cars and trucks, motorcycles do not cast a shadow and thus can go undetected in a blind spot. For similar reasons, a person also needs to double check the mirrors before making a turn.
Finally, drivers of cars should be aware that when the weather is less than ideal, motorcyclists are going to be the first vehicles significantly affected. What might be an annoying rain for a driver can be a challenge for a motorcyclist.
Drivers in California have an obligation to look out for motorcyclists. Hopefully, some of these tips will help them do just that. Those drivers who fail in this obligation may face liability for an injuries a motorcyclist suffers as a result.
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