Common Causes of Motorcycle Accidents

While rear-end accidents, T-bone crashes, and head-on collisions can all occur with any kind of vehicle, a few dangerous scenarios become much more likely when a motorcycle’s involved. They include:

The left-turning car
The most common motorcycle accident scenario in North Carolina involves a left-turning car misjudging or not seeing an oncoming motorcycle with a green light. To prevent such accidents, bikers are advised to assume that any left-turning car might make a sudden turn at the last minute, prompting them to slow down and be prepared for evasive action.

Hugging curves too hard
Motorcycles are known for their ability to lean into a curve, but some bikers push the limits too far. It can be challenging to maintain balance if you find yourself hugging a curve too closely (or at too high a speed).

Cruising in blind spots
Motorcycles are almost exactly “blind-spot size,” meaning they can cruise beside a car without ever entering the driver’s field of vision.

The wipeout
A motorcycle is driving along safely enough when a patch of gravel or sand (or some other roadway obstruction) suddenly makes contact with the front tire and causes the bike to wipe out. The biker might be lucky enough to survive with only a few bruises and a scraped knee at low speeds and light traffic. More often, though, wipeouts result in catastrophic injury or death, especially where high speeds or safety violations are involved.