As Labor Day approaches and another Texas summer comes to a close, motorists around the Lonestar State take their vehicles out for one last road trip beneath Texas’ expansive skies.
Among the campers on their last trip of the season and trucks towing their boats back from Kirby Lake, drivers can find scores of motorcycles enjoying the late summer weather. To make sure this summer ends well for Texas, drivers should take extra care to spot these smaller, more fragile vehicles, and help keep bikers alive.
Start seeing motorcycles and saving lives
Motorists can keep their biker cousins safe by sticking to the basics they learned in driver’s education. Road awareness, clear communication and defensive driving can help motorcyclists and every other driver on the road. Good drivers will practice the following when driving near motorcycles:
- Giving bikers more space: Giving a motorcycle more road space can help them execute maneuvers and practice safe driving. Drivers unfamiliar with how motorcycles move also have more time to react safely.
- Blind spot vigilance: Most motorcycle accidents that involve multiple vehicles happen when a car changes lanes or turns in front of a biker. Drivers who diligently check their blind spots for motorcycles will avoid causing these dangerous situations.
- Proper use of turn signals: Consistent use of turn signals to communicate with other drivers can prevent many accidents. Bikers may need more time to see and respond to a signaled turn — safe drivers signal early and often.
- Careful left turns: Many bikers are hit by cars in busy intersections when a car makes a blind left turn. Take extra care at all intersections and look specifically for motorcycles.
- Not using high beams: High beams can easily blind a biker and cause them to lose control of their vehicle. When driving near a motorcycle at night, refrain from turning on the brights.
- Not drinking and driving: Illegal in all 50 states, no one should engage in drunk driving. Motorcyclists are 29 times more likely to die in any traffic accident — drunk drivers increase that risk considerably.
In a car accident? Consider calling a lawyer
Those involved in a motorcycle accident can find more success working with a lawyer familiar with Texas’ motor vehicle laws. An attorney can assess a case, file suit and parse through dense insurance paperwork to secure coverage.
