The left-turn accident is widely regarded as the most common motorcycle accident. Crashes can also happen when motorcycles are sideswiped during a merge if a driver doesn’t check their blind spots, if they get rear-ended in stalled traffic or in numerous other ways. But it is the left-turn accident that causes most of these serious collisions.
The way that this happens is relatively simple. A passenger vehicle and a motorcycle will be approaching each other on a two-way road. The passenger vehicle will be waiting to turn left. If the driver follows the rules of the road, they will yield the right-of-way to oncoming traffic—including the motorcycle—before executing the turn. But crashes happen when drivers simply turn in front of motorcycles, giving the motorcyclist no warning and no way to avoid the collision.
Why does this happen?
There are a few reasons why this happens, starting with the fact that drivers are more likely to overlook motorcycles. The driver may be focused on other vehicles coming toward them, such as semi-trucks or pickup trucks. When that traffic clears, the driver thinks they have a gap and never sees the motorcycle.
A similar issue is known as inattentional blindness. Essentially, people are more likely to see what they expect to see because their brain is constantly filtering information and filling in gaps in their visual field. This means that a driver who doesn’t expect to see an oncoming motorcycle may genuinely look directly at it and still not see it.
Seeking financial compensation
Have you been injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver? If so, you may be able to seek substantial compensation.