As the weather warms up, biker numbers will increase!

It might not seem like it, but spring is officially here! For the U.K., this means sunshine and warmer temperatures; shortly followed by random showers and intermittent crazy weather, of course.

British people often love to take the opportunity to bask in the sunlight whenever the sun decides to make a fleeting visit in our dreary grey skies. Drivers of convertibles will open their roofs to feel the sun and the warm breeze, and more importantly, bikers will also take to the roads once more  now the rain and bitter cold is on its way out!

This, of course, means drivers must take extra care for bikers!

With an increase of motorbikes on the roads when the weather gets nicer, there is also an increase for risk of harm. Motorbikes are harder to see, and protection for users is far inferior when compared to drivers of cars and vans.

Visibility

Motorbikes are usually much smaller than other road vehicles, and take up much less space on the roads. This means that they’re also less likely to be seen by other drivers, either directly, or in their mirrors.

Drivers need to take extra care to check their surroundings for motorcyclists, especially when turning or exiting. Do be cautious, and:

• Utilise and check all mirrors;
• Look either side of if safe to do so;
• Look behind if reversing;
• Check blind spots if physically possible.

Just because you can’t see a motorcyclist doesn’t mean that there are none around. Drivers must always be extra cautious and be prepared to react quickly. Use of signals for drivers can be key for helping bikers watch out for dangers as well.

The common times to watch out for:

• Roundabouts;
• Lane changing;
• Entering and exiting roads;
• Slip roads.

Protection

When driving a car or van, the driver is protected by a being in, essentially, a metal cage. Through years of testing, all four sides of cars are usually designed to withstand minor collisions. However, for a motorcyclist, they do not have this protective barrier. A small collision with a car may cause minor whiplash to a driver of a car, but to a motorcyclist, the collision may cause the rider to be thrown over the handlebars and onto the road where even more significant damage could be caused.

Take extra care when driving near a motorcyclist and be alert for any sudden changes. It’s best to give motorcyclists extra space when driving around them.

As the weathers warms, bikers will be on the rise!

If all users respect and comply with the Highway Code, risks of accidents can be drastically reduced. Your health and safety takes priority over looking good on the roads or making good time on journeys. Please be responsible on the roads and respect other drivers.

If you have been injured from a road traffic accident as a biker, you are legally entitled to take action against the perpetrator of the harm caused to you. Speak to one of our specialist solicitors to see how much financial compensation you could claim.