Motorcycle Insurance Articles
Responsibilities Of Motorcycle Riders And Other Drivers On The Road
2011-06-20
A motorcycle insurance policy is designed to protect a rider and their motorbike in the event of a collision. Ideally, such a collision would never happen in the first place, and a rider would never need to pay their deductible. In a perfect world, a motorbike would not be hit and need repairs, and a rider would not have to be treated for wounds suffered when they flew from their bike and landed on the pavement. Unfortunately, one of the reasons that motorcycle owners pay more for their insurance is that they are involved in higher numbers of accidents, and these accidents lead to greater numbers of injuries. Both motorcycle riders and other drivers have a responsibility to look out for each other on the road, and if both would do their part, these accidents and their injuries could be substantially reduced.
On the part of the vehicle driver, the responsibility mostly comes in being aware of any motorcycles that are on the road. This can be difficult in bad weather or heavy traffic as thanks to their size, bikes can often seem to disappear. If a driver does not see a motorcycle in front of them, it can easily lead to a rear-end collision and the rider going over the handlebars of their bike. Vehicle drivers must also be careful to watch for motorcycles changing lanes. They typically do so much faster than cars, and it is easy to clip a motorcycle by accident when it is making a lane change.
While most of the onus rests on vehicle drivers to watch out for riders, riders cannot assume that they are infallible. Often, motorcycle users will not shoulder check or will slide between cars in order to obtain a better position at a traffic light. This can lead to situations where a rider is in violation of traffic law, and can put them at risk. As well, if they do not drive courteously and follow the rules of the road, they can anger other drivers, who may then make errors in judgment. A driver that hits a motorcycle in error will have to pay out for damages, but it is the rider that is at the greatest risk.
A motorcycle insurance policy will always be a more costly option than the automobile version, simply owing the number of accidents that occur when bikes are on the road. In order to prevent as many accidents as possible while driving, both vehicle owners and motorcycle riders must be aware of each other, and must react accordingly if there is problem. This can help to not only lower insurance costs, but keep drivers and riders safe.