Arizona motorcyclists are outnumbered by the drivers of other vehicles by a fair margin. Because of this, many drivers may not even consider motorcycles when they hit the road. This lack of foresight can lead to crashes that may have otherwise been possible to avoid.
The National Safety Council discusses why it is important for all drivers to keep motorcyclists in mind when they get on the road. They note that in the event of a crash between a motorcyclist and driver of another vehicle, it is most often the other vehicle’s driver that has violated the motorcyclist’s right of way. In many cases, this happens because the driver simply does not see the motorcyclist in time.
They are not keeping an eye out for motorcyclists and are thus taken by surprise when they appear. Unfortunately, the size and speed of a motorcycle means that they can be hard to spot. They can dart into a car’s blind spot with the driver none the wiser or easily be obscured from view by other vehicles. If a motorist is driving while distracted, under the influence, or drowsy, this increases the chances of a crash happening even further.
If a driver keeps motorcyclists in mind when they hit the road, they are more likely to remember to check their blind spots before turning or changing lanes. They are also more likely to be sure that their road space is free from motorcyclists before making any abrupt movements or changes. This could potentially help to cut down on the crashes that happen between motorcyclists and other drivers.