How to avoid the most common causes of motorcycle accidents.
Every year there are hundreds of accidents on the UK’s roads involving motorcycles, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The majority of accidents occur in four main areas;
● Failure to negotiate left / right-hand bends on country A roads
● Collisions at junctions
● Collisions while overtaking
● Loss of control.
Bends on country roads
Bends on country roads can be a lot of fun, especially if you are used to the urban environment, however, these bends tend to be more hazardous than in the urban environment.
Bends on unfamiliar country roads can be long and drawn out or short and sharp, concealing numerous hazards. Riders should attempt to anticipate any danger on the road ahead by ensuring that they have enough room to stop in the distance that they can see to be clear.
There are many markers on country roads that indicate there may be a bend in the road ahead, these include; telegraph poles or hedges hand railing the edge of the road, closing apexes and warning signs.
Looking out for these indicators will help build a picture of the road ahead, but not the condition. Riders must also anticipate factors such as cattle or livestock crossing between fields, tractors emerging from unmarked junctions and spillages of manure, slurry or diesel.
Road position is crucial when negotiating bends on country roads. Riders should avoid riding too close to the centre lines, in case vehicles travelling in the opposite direction drift into the oncoming lane.
Collisions at junctions
This is by far one of the most common types of motorcycle accident. Motorists are usually very keen to join the main road from a junction and as a result, they either miss judge the speed of an approaching motorcycle or miss it completely.
Riders should attempt to neutralise the danger at junctions by riding defensively, ensuring they have eye contact with the driver at a junction and anticipate that the car has not seen them.
Road position should be defensive, allowing for contingency in the event that a motorist pulls out unexpectedly.
Collisions while overtaking
In order for riders to perform safe overtaking manoeuvres, a thorough knowledge of the bikes performance must be appreciated. Riders should understand rates of acceleration and braking capabilities of the machine before attempting an overtake.
Overtaking manoeuvres should only be undertaken when riders have a clear view of the road ahead, ensuring any potential hazards are taken into account before attempting to overtake. Riders should attempt to read the road ahead by looking for warning signs of bends, junctions, lay-bys, blind summits and double white lines.
Riders should also appreciate closing speed, for example, when overtaking at 60 mph when there is a vehicle travelling towards, in the opposite direction, at 60mph, we end up with a closing speed of 120mph. This has a dramatic effect on the reaction time of both parties.
Overtaking stationary traffic, also known as filtering, is legal, however, riders must anticipate pedestrians crossing between stationary cars and also vehicle passengers opening doors, exiting onto the road.
Loss of control
There are many factors that could lead to loss of control of a motorcycle. Riders need to be aware of their surroundings and take action to minimise risk when riding in difficult conditions.
There are many factors that could lead to loss of control of a motorcycle. Riders need to be aware of their surroundings and take action to minimise risk when riding in difficult conditions.
Poor weather can have a negative effect on the performance of motorcycle tyres. Wet roads, white lines and manhole covers all significantly reduce grip and are a major factor in the loss of control. Riders should reduce speed in adverse weather conditions to take these factors into account.
It’s not just poor weather that can impede tyre performance, extreme cold, diesel spillages and mud can also have a detrimental effect on grip. Overly harsh acceleration can cause the rear tyre to lose traction and spin, affecting the direction and balance of the bike.
Overly aggressive breaking on the front brake can lead to a lock-up of the front wheel, resulting in a front wheel skid which can rapidly cause the bike to drop onto the road. Riders should appreciate that the point of contact between the road and the tyres is a very small area which becomes even smaller during cornering.
Speed and distractions can lead to a loss of control, as we can see here in this video. Initially, we see the rider hold a good line through the corners until he sees another motorcycle pass. At this point, the rider momentarily notices the other bike, processes the information but by that time, at that speed, the distraction and the angle of the corner catch the rider out.
This could have been a very sore one, thankfully the van driver sees what’s going on and has enough time to react and take emergency action.
Video courtesy of R6 Monkey.
Video courtesy of R6 Monkey.
