Any driver in Florida should know that they need to watch out for motorcyclists when they are on the road. Motorcyclists should also practice safe driving habits to protect themselves. Riding a motorcycle Is an inherently exhilarating experience, but that aspect also makes it much more dangerous. With this blog post, we hope to share some information that could help make our roads in Riverview and the rest of Florida a little safer for everyone.  That education starts with covering the most common causes of crashes between motorcycles and cars. 

Issues can arise quickly when car drivers fail to account for motorcyclists and when drivers of any vehicle indulge in reckless, impatient driving behaviors. If you have been injured in a car accident or while you were on a motorcycle in Riverview, then you should consider contacting the personal injury lawyers at Calandra Law.  Our attorneys are highly experienced with these cases and ready to help. 

Accidents Are Serious, Especially for Motorcyclists

Do you know that over 5,000 motorcycle riders are killed each year in accidents? It should be no surprise that a motorcyclist is less likely to survive crashes between motorcycles and cars than someone in a vehicle. The fatality rate is 27 times higher for someone who is involved in a motorcycle accident. With even more ways for drivers to be distracted while on the road, it has become extremely dangerous for the average motorcyclist in Riverview and the rest of Florida.

Even if a motorcyclist survives an accident, they are often left with lifelong injuries that could include:

• Paralysis
• Amputation or other forms of disfigurement
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Coma

Motorcycle riders in Florida should note that many of these crashes between motorcycles and cars are often caused by at-fault drivers. Hopefully, this blog post can help drivers and motorcyclists be safer on the road in 2022.

Top Causes For Crashes Between Motorcycles and Cars

Drivers Are More Distracted Than Ever in Florida

This probably should not come as much of a surprise either, but there are many dangerously distracted drivers on the road nowadays. This is one of Florida’s most common causes of crashes between motorcycles and cars. While smartphones may have made our lives easier in various ways, they also made our lives on the road much more dangerous.

Distracted drivers aren’t only a danger for themselves, their passengers, and anybody on or near the road they are traveling.  Many of the recorded deaths due to distracted drivers in Florida also involve pedestrians and bikers, in addition to motorcycle riders. 

Distracted Driving Isn’t Only Caused By Cell Phones

Our society’s growing dependence on smartphones and other devices is a really easy factor to point to regarding the increase in crashes between motorcycles and cars. However, it is not the only cause of distracted driving, and we would like to note some of the other factors that can distract drivers and cause a dangerous or deadly accident in Florida.

 These other distractions include: 

• Conversations with passengers
• Eating or drinking while driving
• Attempting to put on makeup while driving
• Paying more attention to the built-in GPS

The average human being’s life has become more complex, and the reality is that there are just more ways than ever for the average driver to be more distracted.  Our society has become more used to having access to motor vehicles, which has not helped us maintain the level of presence that would traditionally be necessary to safely operate an inherently dangerous vehicle.

Drivers in cars and trucks have an inherent responsibility to be aware of everyone else on the road. This is the only reliable way to account for motorcycle riders and ensure you aren’t putting anyone at undue risk. If your mind is not on the task at hand, AKA driving, you won’t be able to absorb details from your surroundings accurately, and you may end up missing that motorcycle rider in your blind spot.  

Drivers Failing to Check Their Blind Spots

If a driver in Florida fails to spot the motorcycle rider and causes an accident, it will be the driver’s fault (in most cases). This is because the driver, when operating their vehicle, has the implied obligation to be aware of everyone sharing the road with them, including motorcyclists, and to exercise the proper duty of care. This means that the driver should actively scan the road within their vision and account for the motorists in their vicinity to prevent crashes between motorcycles and cars.

Plenty of drivers in Florida spend most of their time behind the wheel with their eyes trained directly in front of them. This is a natural inclination if you look for other cars and trucks that might pose a threat as they progress. But this seriously threatens motorcyclists as they tend to be lower down and smaller than the average car.

All it takes is a brief moment of unawareness to trigger an accident that could be deadly for the motorcycle rider. Then, there is also the consideration of how quickly the driver reacts to the situation. Some drivers cannot react quickly enough to prevent serious damage or gas to a motorcycle rider. 

Our recommendation for any driver reading this blog post is to remember the value of checking and rechecking your blind spots before you move in traffic. This is one of the more common areas where a motorcycle rider could enter your vicinity without you being aware of their presence until it is too late. Just be safe in this next year, and make sure that you are double-checking your blind spots before you make that next move to avoid potential crashes between motorcycles and cars.

Failure to Yield the Right of Way

If you were to ask one of our personal injury attorneys in Riverview, they would say that one of the other common causes of motorcycle accidents they see is drivers failing to yield the right-of-way when they should. This is what makes intersections one of the most dangerous places on any given road in Florida for a motorcycle rider.

This connects to the issue of drivers not checking their blind spots, which is a significant factor in crashes between motorcycles and cars. Drivers are often intent on trying to make that turn as quickly as possible and do not take the time to review their surroundings and identify other drivers entering or exiting the intersection before they make their move. Things get very dangerous when a driver fails to yield to a motorcycle rider when they have the right of way, often leading to serious crashes between motorcycles and cars.

The official guidance in the State of Florida is that a driver should take the time necessary to make sure that there are no oncoming motorcycles present before they decide to pull into the intersection. A motorcyclist reacting to a driver pulling out in front of them in this fashion will likely have to jam on their breaks, which could end up causing them to get into a very bad accident. Be a responsible driver in 2022, and make sure that you take the time to review your surroundings before making a move. 

More Speeders Have Created More Danger for All Drivers in Florida

Does it seem that everyone is in a rush on the road these days? More speeders have made our highways in Florida that much more dangerous for everyone, increasing the risk of crashes between motorcycles and cars. You may feel like you are a highly confident driver, but speeding excessively will cause you to lose focus on the road. Your reaction times are also reduced when driving at high speeds, making it harder to avoid collisions with motorcycles.

Nearly a quarter of the auto accident deaths that occur each year are caused by excessive speeding. Speeding presents a very heightened danger for any motorcycle rider, but there are also significant risks for the average car driver. Remember that speeding in a situation could mean driving too fast for the weather or road conditions, not necessarily driving over the speed limit.

Whether in a car or on a motorcycle, you will have less control over your vehicle when speeding. If something unexpected occurs, you will have less time to respond appropriately. A common event that our personal injury attorneys see is a car driver who was speeding too close to a motorcyclist and wasn’t able to break properly before colliding with the motorcycle. This is a typical scenario in crashes between motorcycles and cars. Being in a rush is not a viable excuse for making the road more dangerous for other motorists in Florida, especially for vulnerable road users like motorcyclists.

Injured on a Motorcycle or in a Car? Speak With A Riverview Personal Injury Lawyer Today

The accident lawyers at Calandro Law have years of experience fighting for our client’s rights and ensuring they are awarded the compensation they need. Your initial consultation is always free, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding your case. If you’ve been involved in a collision or have concerns about crashes between motorcycles and cars, contact us today at (813) 563-6463 or fill out the form on the right side of the page for your free case evaluation.