How to Avoid Common Motorcycle Crashes

Riding a motorcycle is fun and rewarding. You can go on pleasure rides, run errands, commute to work and get around town easily and efficiently. However, motorcycle riding isn’t without its risks, especially when you share the road with cars and trucks. Other drivers can’t always see you or may not be as attentive, so you have to do the work to keep yourself safe.

There are a number of common motorcycle crashes that occur based on certain traffic conditions. As your Orange County motorcycle dealer here in Westminster, Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County has drawn up this guide to help you avoid these sticky situations and stay safe on the road.

Back-Side Slam

You’re riding on a city street and approaching an intersection when a woman with her stroller walks out, or a squirrel crosses the road. So you hit your brakes, but unfortunately, the driver behind you doesn’t notice or react in time and they slam right into you. When this happens with two cars, it’s a “fender bender,” but a car slamming into a bike from behind can be deadly for the motorcyclist.

If you can’t put a stopped car between you and the drivers in motion behind you, then pull over to the side of a lane to stop while flashing your brake light. Watch your mirrors and be prepared to edge further over if a car doesn’t look like it’s going to stop. You’re at the most risk for this particular crash at night, when more drivers may be drunk, or when you’re stopping unexpectedly.

Left-Turn Catastrophe

You’re about to push off from an intersection or coast on through it when an oncoming car decides to turn left suddenly, knocking right into you. Drivers are generally looking for other cars on the road, not a motorcycle, and they may also be distracted or have a blind spot where you can’t be seen. Whatever the reason is, you’re going to have to watch carefully to avoid this one.

Watch oncoming traffic for any sign that it’s about to turn left into your path. Some clues might include a waiting car in a turn lane, a slowing in speed or a gap in traffic. Be prepared to take evasive action if a car is turning left so you can get out of the way as quickly as possible.

Door-Opening Disaster

This is a common problem when riding on crowded city streets, such as a downtown area. You want to avoid traffic congestion, so you slip over to the right side of the road and ride along a line of parked cars to snake your way through. And then a car door opens in front of you and you slam into it.

Avoiding this one is easy: don’t ride along parked cars! This is an extremely dangerous thing to do for many reasons aside from sudden door openings. Pedestrians, people in wheelchairs, bicyclists and drivers trying to get back into their cars can all suddenly emerge from the curb without warning. So riding in this danger zone is risky for you and many other people. If you absolutely have to ride along parked cars for some reason, then do it as slowly as possible and be vigilant, but get yourself out of that situation as soon as you can.

Slick-Road Slide

It’s raining outside and you’re coasting along when you slip in a puddle, lose traction and wipe out. But if you’re cautious when the clouds gather, you can avoid this mishap. One step you can take to prevent slipping in the rain is to ensure that your tires are always in good condition and evenly aired up. Trying to ride in the rain with bad tires means you won’t have the traction you need to stay upright while riding through a puddle. Slow down your speed significantly, don’t make sudden moves and watch for especially slippery areas like oil spots, manhole covers and steel construction plates in the road.

We hope this guide helps you stay safe out there and avoid motorcycle crashes! Still need a bike? Contact our Westminster dealership to talk to our friendly staff about our inventory. You can also visit our website to view our great selection of new and used motorcycles for sale, including the latest Indian® motorcycle models. Indian Motorcycle® of Orange County proudly serves the greater Los Angeles area.