Texas is home to countless motorcycle enthusiasts. These riders all across the state deserve the same respect and deference as any other travelers on the road.
May is Motorcycle Awareness Month in the U.S., and few states stand to benefit as much as Texas from improving driving safety for motorcycles. It’s well worth the effort to help prevent accidents and protect the rights of motorcyclists who have been hurt in accidents.
Texas Fatal Motorcycle Accidents
In 2024, Texas saw 585 people killed in motorcycle accidents. The more than 9,000 crashes also led to thousands of serious injuries. These numbers suggest that more work needs to be done to make riders safe.
TxDOT has an ongoing motorcycle safety campaign called “Share the Road: Look Twice for Motorcycles.” It’s aimed at a common explanation given after motorcycle accidents: Drivers in other vehicles fail to see motorcycles until it’s too late.
While there are some unavoidable reasons for this, looking twice is a good place to start. Paying closer attention has the potential to reduce all types of accidents, including motorcycle crashes.
Good Driving Habits
Motorcycles are smaller than cars. Since cars greatly outnumber motorcycles, people often only look out for objects of that size.
What drivers need to do is rethink how they evaluate safety. Here are some good habits to get into:
Be Observant
Drivers must observe their surroundings more carefully. Look longer and look again at intersections, when making lane changes and in other potentially dangerous situations.
This time of year, motorcycles become more common. Drivers should be actively on the lookout for motorcyclists. If you keep your eyes and ears open, you could avoid a tragedy.
Only Drive When Sober
Impaired driving is another issue that arises frequently in motorcycle accident cases. Alcohol and safe driving do not go hand-in-hand. If you’ve been drinking, you should not be driving or riding.
Stay Calm
Aggressive driving is also a significant factor in motorcycle accidents. Speed gives you less time to make good decisions. You don’t have time to look twice if you’re rushing around.
Keep Your Distance
Despite their small size, you should give motorcycles more space, rather than less. Remember, riders are in much greater danger than car passengers in the event of a collision.
Go Back to Basics
Finally, basic driver safety practices can strongly influence motorcycle safety:
- Signal turns and lane changes.
- Check your mirrors frequently.
- Obey all traffic laws, including speed limits.
These can all help prevent a crash.
Call a Skilled Motorcycle Accident Attorney
At The Fell Law Firm, our experienced personal injury lawyers work hard to protect accident victims. Our team handles injury cases all over Texas. If you’ve been injured, call us at 972-450-1418 to schedule a consultation.
