The right hook, when a right-turning vehicle collides with a bicycle traveling straight-through, can be prevented with assertive lane position and never passing on the right. Another common bike-car collision is the left hook, when an oncoming car turns left into the path of a bicyclist going straight through an intersection.
The reason for this is the same as for most car-bike collisions: the motorist doesn’t see the bicycle. That may come as a surprise, because in the left hook situation, the motorist is facing the cyclist. The failure of a motorist to see a bicycle right in front of him can be explained by the “Moonwalking bear test”, a short video which challenges the viewer to count the number of times a ball is passed between players in white. The viewer is so focused on counting passes that he never sees the prominent moonwalking bear.
Motorists and bicyclists alike don’t see what we aren’t looking for. A motorist making a left turn may be looking for oncoming cars, cars coming from the right or left, and cars that may be already in the target lane. In places like Kirksville where there aren’t a lot of bicycles, motorists don’t expect to see them, and aren’t looking for them.
As a motorist, you can prevent a left hook by avoiding distractions while driving (such as talking or texting) and by watching for bicycles.
As a cyclist, you can prevent a left hook using again the Third Layer of Crash Prevention, “Discourage drivers’ mistakes” with an assertive lane position. Allow at least an arm’s length from the edge of the road, but when approaching an intersection, especially if an oncoming motorist is waiting to turn left, move more toward the center of the lane. (Always check behind before changing your lane or your lane position). This assertive lane position makes you more visible. Finally, keep an eye on the oncoming traffic, whether or not you see a turn signal. Being aware that a motorist might make that left turn even though you have the right of way can give you that extra bit of reaction time you need to avoid a collision.