Distracted Drivers Endanger Motorcyclists
To drive safely and responsibly, motorists must focus their full attention on the road. Drivers who succumb to distractions are dangerous drivers, and they endanger everyone with whom they share the road. Motorcyclists, however, are especially vulnerable to distracted drivers and to the extremely dangerous accidents that these drivers often cause.
Distracted Drivers Are on the Rise
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that distracted driving refers to driving while distracted by any activity that takes the driver’s attention away from the primary task of driving safely. For obvious reasons, engaging with one’s smartphone is one of the most dangerous distractions. When a motorist is traveling at 55 miles per hour and sending or reading a text – which takes an average of 5 seconds – he or she drives blind for the equivalent of an entire football field. Driving with one’s eyes anywhere other than on the road ahead is exceedingly dangerous. To put this in perspective, NHTSA relays that 3,450 traffic fatalities and 391,000 traffic injuries in 2015 directly involved distracted drivers. Further, the Texas Department of Transportation reports that traffic fatalities in Texas involving distracted drivers are on the rise.
Motorcyclists are Harder for Motorists to See
When you are on your motorcycle, your visual profile is much smaller than that of other vehicles. To exacerbate the problem, many motorists are just not as aware of their surroundings as they should be. Distracted drivers are even less likely to see you in their midst. When you are traveling by motorcycle, never assume that other drivers can see you and always proceed with caution.
Motorcyclists Are Prone to Serious Injuries
If you are injured in a motorcycle accident, your injuries are likely to be much more serious than they would be if you were behind the wheel of your car. In fact, NHTSA reports that, while motorcyclists make up only about two percent of registered motorists in the U.S., they account for five percent of all traffic fatalities. Ultimately, NHTSA clarifies the danger further by relaying that 80 percent of motorcycle accidents end in fatalities while 20 percent of other traffic accidents do. When you take to the road on your motorcycle, always make driving safely your primary concern and remember that distracted drivers are out there and that they may not be on the lookout for you.