Motorcyclists are at risk for left-turn accidents

As a motorcyclist, if you see a vehicle waiting to turn left ahead of you, approach with extreme caution. Drivers often make a mistake as they turn, cutting off an oncoming motorcycle. This is one of the most dangerous and common types of motorcycle accidents.

For example, perhaps you are driving down a two-way road, and a driver in an approaching pickup truck needs to turn left to pull into their own driveway. You have the right of way, and they should wait for you to pass before they execute the turn. But if they turn in front of your bike, you may not have enough space to stop, and you will strike the side of the pickup truck at a high rate of speed.

Can you swerve around the other vehicle?

Often, swerving is not even really an option. You could swerve left into the lane the pickup truck vacated, but that would mean riding into oncoming traffic. That may cause a head-on collision with another vehicle that was behind the one waiting to turn. It is never advisable to swerve into oncoming lanes.

But because the truck itself is turning in this example, you also cannot swerve right. Doing so puts you on the same trajectory as the other vehicle. As such, the only option motorcyclists often have is to hit the brakes, and there is not always enough space to avoid a crash with a negligent driver.

If you do get involved in one of these motorcycle accidents and you suffer serious injuries, take the time to carefully look into all of your legal options.