Safe Driving Tips for Cars with Motorcycles on the Road

Safe Driving Tips for Cars with Motorcycles on the Road

There were more than 4,956 motorcyclists killed in 2015 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With a sizeable increase in the number of motorcycles on the road in recent years, drivers must become even more aware of who is on the road. Here are three things you can do to help keep the motorcyclists safe as well as yourself:

#1 – Check Your Blind Spots

Not checking your blind spots is the number one reason for accidents involving motor vehicles. Because motorcycles are smaller than more vehicles on the road they can be harder to spot while they are changing lanes. You are used to looking for larger cars, so a motorcycle and the rider tend to blend in and make them harder to spot. Take your time when changing lanes and pay special attention to your blind spots as the weather starts to get nicer.

#2 – Give Them The Whole Lane

Although motorcycles take up less room then a car, but they are still legally allowed to have their own lane of traffic. When you pass you must move completely into the next lane over to pass. There is no reason to pass in the same lane as a motorcycle, even if it looks like there is enough room; there isn’t. Sharing a lane is an accident waiting to happen and it will be your fault.

#3 – Treat Motorcycle Turn Signals With Extra Caution

If you drive a car you are used to having self-cancelling turn signals but many motorcycles on the road don’t have the self-cancelling turn signals. So that means if you notice that a motorcycle is driving with their turn signal active for a long distance, increase your distance between you and them so that once they do decide to turn you have enough time to react.