Advice for Motorcyclists to avoid being hit by driver coming out of a side road
First published by Author on January 04, 2017 in the following categories: Bike Safety and tagged with road safety
We should never forget that there are always road accident risks, which is why we all need to do our part to make sure we follow the Highway Code to reduce and prevent accidents from happening.
Needless to say, road traffic accidents can be very dangerous. Many accidents to motorbike riders cause serious injury, and can tragically be fatal. With other drivers often finding it harder to spot motorcyclists, as well as their lack of protection when compared to a car, they’re usually at a much greater risk.
One extremely common collision is where a driver of a car comes out of a side road and into the path of an oncoming motorcyclist… leaving no time for the motorcyclist to brake or swerve.
When a motorist is joining another road (most commonly at a junction) he or she needs to pay attention to whether there is a ‘stop’ or ‘give way’ either attached to a sign on a pole or painted on the road itself.
If in doubt, caution must always be taken to expect the worst and a driver must slow down to check its safe to manoeuvre out.
Rule 171 of the Highway Code along with s36 of the Road Traffic Act and Regulations 10 and 16 of The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions, all say that you must stop and wait behind a ‘stop’ sign or line.
Repeated checks must be made to both side of the road to make sure it is clear for joining. Rule 170 of the Highway Code gives instructions to:
- Look out for cyclists , motorcyclists, or anyone coming down the road;
- Make sure you look properly, especially if there is something that blocks your view;
- Make sure they can see you;
- Check if someone is coming from the right and signals to turn, not to just assume that they will;
- Keep looking around constantly as you turn out.
Unfortunately, too many cars don’t always check properly, leading to serious collisions. According the government’s Think initiative, in the UK, motorcyclists are around 38% more likely to be killed on the road than someone in a car. In 2013, 4,866 motorcyclists were seriously injured after being in a road collision in Great Britain.
Motorcyclists sometimes have no option but to look out for themselves, even when the duty of care is solely on the other motorist. This often means:
- Always look out for other cars and never assume that they can see you;
- Always be ready to slow down and respond appropriately;
- Have your headlights on where these is low visibility;
- Have a suitable helmet on to protect yourself should a collision occurs (Rule 83 and under the Road Traffic Acts);
- Wear bright or fluorescent clothing if possible to increase your own visibility (Rule 86 and 87).
Caution must be taken by all road users at all times. If you are a motorcyclist and you have had a road traffic accident that was not your fault (having followed the Think Bike and the Highway Code rules), you may be eligible to claim compensation for any injuries you suffer. You may also be able to recover any lost earnings if you had any time off work to recover from your injuries.
The content of this post/page was considered accurate at the time of the original posting and/or at the time of any posted revision. The content of this page may, therefore, be out of date. The information contained within this page does not constitute legal advice. Any reliance you place on the information contained within this page is done so at your own risk.
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