In Kentucky, every driver wants to work together to keep the road safe. This goes double for motorcyclists like you, who face an over-representation in crash statistics. While crashes have gone down for motorcyclists in recent years, you still face plenty of danger.
One of the ways to combat this danger is by examining the root cause of crashes. Why are cars and motorcycles so likely to get into wrecks with each other? Is there anything you can do to help prevent that?
Motorcycle crash statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration looks at motorcycle safety and crash statistics. In 2018, there was a 5 percent decrease in motorcycle fatalities. However, that still left 4,985 motorcyclists killed due to crashes. Despite this, 71 percent of motorcyclists comply with Department of Transportation’s helmet recommendations.
Some crashes do happen because of actions taken on the part of the motorcyclist. For example, some motorcyclists have a high blood alcohol content (BAC) level at the time of a crash. But other times, it is the driver’s fault.
What hampers motorcycle visibility
Many drivers already struggle to see you even on a good day. On some occasions, motorcyclists make things a bit harder by not wearing proper visibility gear. But other factors can affect your visibility, including:
- The driver’s attentiveness
- The weather
- The type of road you are on (i.e. if it is a turn overgrown with bushes)
- If the driver is observing proper rules of the road
In short, driver distraction often lies behind crashes with motorcyclists. This distraction may come from external or internal factors. The end result is the same: there is a resulting crash and a motorcyclist is more likely to get injured in it.