Motorcycles are big and loud. They have built-in lighting systems and often very flamboyant design features. Despite all of the elements that should make motorcycles easy to spot in traffic, drivers often struggle to notice them.
Frequently, when someone in an enclosed vehicle hits a motorcycle in traffic, they claim that they didn’t see the motorcycle before the crash occurred. Why is it so difficult for drivers to notice motorcycles?
A driver’s brain has a lot to process
The human brain has a finite ability to process incoming information. Visual data, in particular, puts a lot of stress on the brain. When someone is driving, they have so much incoming visual information that their brain may struggle to keep up with the situation.
Therefore, the brain prioritizes certain information as more important than other details. Big vehicles and other obvious threats typically command a driver’s attention while in traffic, but smaller vehicles and pedestrians are easy to overlook. Even when a motorcycle is plainly visible across an intersection, a driver might fail to spot it because of inattentional blindness.
They can look right at the motorcycle and never think anything about it. Inattentional blindness may be an explanation for why many motorcycle crashes occur, but it is not an excuse. Someone struck by a driver who failed to notice them in traffic likely has grounds for an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit.
Holding unsafe and negligent drivers responsible for the crashes they help you get compensation for medical bills and other expenses and damages. Having legal guidance is key.
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