It is an unfortunate reality that when a motorcycle collides with another type of vehicle, the motorcyclist usually takes the brunt of the damage. The fact of the matter is that when a motorcycle collides with a car or truck, usually the driver of the car or truck violates the motorcyclist's right-of-way. Car and truck drivers involved in motorcycle accidents often appear to be a broken record, saying, "I didn't see the motorcycle."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, several factors cause drivers to overlook motorcyclists and violate motorcyclists' right of way. Firstly, motorcycles are a small portion of vehicles on the road. Drivers can go for months over winter without seeing a motorcycle on the road, so many drivers do not anticipate encountering a motorcycle on the road and they therefore fail to look for motorcyclists.

Secondly, motorcycles are much smaller than vehicles. This makes them more difficult to see and motorcycles can be easily hidden behind other vehicles. However, these factors do not excuse a driver from the obligation to look for other vehicles.

Research has shown that drivers who also ride motorcycles and drivers with family members or friends who ride motorcycles are much more likely to see motorcycles and are much less likely to violate a motorcyclist's right-of-way. This indicates that when drivers are more aware that there are motorcycles on the road, they are more observant of motorcycles.

With these concerns in mind, the Motorcycle Foundation for safety has launched a campaign to promote motorcyclist awareness of driver's blind spots. Most importantly, there is a now a concentrated effort for drivers to start looking for motorcyclists. Drivers need to constantly consider that a motorcycle may be present and they must not assume that if there is no large vehicle in an area, then no vehicles are present.

Source: Motorcycle Safety Foundation, "Motorist Awareness"