Spring has finally arrived, and for many New Jersey residents, this means motorcycle season. Before dusting off the bike and getting ready to ride, it is important for motorcyclists to understand the many dangers they will face in traffic.
The Cheat Sheet has provided a list of common hazards that regularly injure or claim the lives of motorcyclists across the country. The dangers that come from other motor vehicles sharing the roads with bikers include the following:
- Intersections, especially when a driver is attempting to make a left-hand turn and is not watching for approaching motorcycles
- Oncoming traffic
- Sudden stops in traffic that may cause a motorcyclist to slam on the brakes
- Drivers changing lanes without checking for motorcycles or using their turn signals
- Vehicles that may rear-end a motorcyclist
- Drivers opening their car doors in front of an oncoming motorcycle
It can help for motorcyclists to understand that drivers often do not watch for bikers sharing the road with them, especially since motorcycles are much smaller than cars and trucks and tend to be faster and easy to miss. Spring is a particularly dangerous time for bikers, since drivers have become accustomed to not seeing many motorcycles on the road during the cold winter season.
In 2016, 71 motorcyclists were killed in traffic accidents in New Jersey, a number that was higher than the previous three years in the state, reported the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Hopefully, when drivers and bikers are aware of the risks, fewer motorcyclists will be involved in accidents.