1. Motorcycle passing a vehicle
Left-turn accidents – that is, cars or trucks turning left and colliding into a motorcycle – are quite common. When a motorcycle passes a larger vehicle, no matter how cautiously the motorcyclist is in following the traffic laws, there is always a possibility for an accident. Using “passing lanes” on fast two-lane roads is more treacherous for motorcycles than it is for cars, trucks, or SUVs. Be sure to exercise caution whenever passing a vehicle, as there is always a fair chance that driver will not have seen you in the rearview or side mirrors.
2. Motorcycle going straight through an intersection
Again, left-turn accidents. Picture yourself going through a traffic-light intersection, and across the way, coming toward you, is a car stopped in the box, preparing to turn left across your lane. This car is waiting for cars to finish going through the intersection. Read that again. This car is waiting for CARS to finish going through the intersection. Sometimes a motorcycle may drive through after cars, and the left-turning car plows right into the motorcycle, oblivious. This happens more often than you might think.
3. Motorcycle splitting the lane
The ability to lane-split is a lovely advantage of riding a motorcycle. Sometimes, however, the gap between the lanes is too narrow. For whatever reason, the left-hand lane has a car edging to the right, and the right-hand lane has a truck hanging left. That narrow passage can cause those vehicles to panic when they see a motorcycle approaching – or, worse, they don’t see the motorcycle approaching from behind at all. It can happen in slow-moving traffic, or even when traffic is dead stopped.
4. Motorcycle hitting another vehicle head-on
More than 50% of deaths for motorcycle riders happen with head-on collisions. Most of the time, it’s a car hitting the motorcycle head-on. This collision from the front is very often fatal for the motorcyclist.
5. Motorcycle driving significantly over the speed limit
The thrill of riding fast is undeniable. However, as we all know, the motorcycle offers little in the way of protection for the rider. If you are exceeding the posted speed limit, even by 10 miles, you significantly increase your chances of getting into an accident. And, if you get into an accident, because you are on a motorcycle and not strapped into the metal box-frame of a car or truck or SUV, your chances of being killed or seriously injured are dramatically higher.
6. Motorcycle colliding with a fixed object
About 25% of deaths in motorcycle accidents come from the rider running into a fixed object. Because the rider will be thrown from the bike, he or she will strike that fixed object at a high velocity. Of course, wearing a motorcycle helmet reduces the chances of fatality, as does wearing other protective gear. These fixed-object accidents are sadly common, and more sadly, carry a high rate of mortality.
7. Motorcycle dealing with hazardous pavement
The good news is that accidents due to hazardous road conditions are less likely to be fatal. The bad news is that these accidents happen frequently. If the pavement is uneven from one lane to the next, with one lane higher than the other, this can cause a bike to go down. Potholes are, as you know, much tougher for motorcycles to withstand. If objects have fallen off the backs of pickup trucks, even if they’re small, they can wreck a motorcycle’s front wheel. Poor road conditions that a car only finds annoying can really wreak havoc on a motorcycle.