How To Safely Share the Road with Motorcycles

The road nowadays does not belong to four-wheeled vehicles anymore, a fact that should not be denied.  Motorcycles and their drivers have recently made their presence more felt by the general driving public.  The rise of motorcycle owners can be attributed to the truth that motorcycles are relatively cheap in terms of price and insurance.  Gas mileage is also good and encouraging especially in these difficult times.    

However, contemporary statistics also show the rise of motorcycle crashes.  Motorcycles are smaller and that makes them less noticeable for automobile drivers on the road.  With this in mind, it is essential therefore, for automobile drivers to start conditioning their reflexes and driving techniques to avoid any untoward incident on the road. 

Even in driving a car, or any four-wheeled or more vehicles for that matter, the basic driving technique to be mastered is defensive driving.  Defensive driving entails the conscious effort of the driver to prevent a crash before it occurs.  Putting on the defensive mode while driving will collectively bring about the other skills needed to ensure road safety.  Simultaneously, this will ensure safety in sharing the road with motorcycle drivers.

Paying attention is basically the optimal rule in driving.  Most drivers who encounter road mishaps with motorcycles say that they just did not notice them because they are either inconspicuous or the road conditions did not let them see the motorcycles.  A driver should always make it a point to notice who are driving on both sides of his car.  Adjust the rear view mirror of the automobile when needed to guarantee a full view of the road.  Know your vehicle's blind spot.  Even while driving on a wide highway, a driver should anticipate that a motorcycle could be speeding up beside his car anytime.

Tailgating is also important to consider if you want safe driving on a road with motorcycles.  Motorcycle wheels are more exposed than automobile wheels.  A slight touch of a car bumper to a motorcycles rear wheel can send that motorcycle up in the air and into the ground.  Always make it a point to allow two to three car lengths away from a motorcycle or any other vehicle on the road.  Tailgating is of greater importance when driving on a wet road.  Motorcycles need longer braking distances when the roads are wet so be careful.

When overtaking a motorcycle in the road, always give it the same respect as you would have given any four-wheeled vehicle.  Give it plenty of room and do not get too close.  The motorcycle rider may get startled and lose control of his bike when a vehicle gets too close to it.

A motorcyclist, compared to a car driver, has less time to react in times of potential accidents.  A simple road accident that can just give a scratch to a car driver may prove fatal for a motorcycle rider.  Road safety is a shared responsibility among all the drivers using it.  It is but important to do your share in being informed and applying it on the road.


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