As a motorcycle rider you have to take safety into your own hands to protect yourself on the road as best you can. Being aware and vigilant about safety is so important as other drivers so often fail to see a motorcyclist. Its’ best to function as though you are practically invisible to other drivers, as its impossible to tell from the outside if another driver does see you or not. Always striving to leave at least two car lengths of empty distance in front of you as well as behind, and the same on the sides. When approaching intersections a motorcyclist needs to be very aware of other vehicles turning left in front of you for those who don’t signal or turn at the last moment. However even with all this in practice as you travel the road you are always at risk of being involved in a motorcycle collision in Toledo.
Some interesting facts about motorcycle collisions, in Toledo and other markets around the country to keep in mind are:
* Over 75% of motorcycle collisions in Toledo and other markets involve another passenger type vehicle
* 25% of which are single vehicle incidents in which another vehicle has pushed over the rider to cause a motorcycle collision with a fixed object
* Less than 3% of motorcycle collisions are due to mechanical accidents or accidents caused by the bike getting a flat.
* Single vehicle motorcycle accidents are caused by the motorcycle rider in 66% of the cases where the cyclist slides out and falls from over-breaking, or taking a corner too fast.
* In 2% of accidents are due to the pavement or road imperfections, and 1% are due to animal involvement
* The number one situation that causes motorcycle collisions is a car turning left in front of an oncoming motorcycle.
* 2% of motorcycle collisions involve weather as a factor
* Intersections are the second highest rate of motorcycle accidents where a vehicle violates the motorcycles right of way or ignore traffic signals altogether
* 50% of motorcycle collisions that result in death are involving alcohol
* The most common age group for motorcycle collisions involve males between the ages of 16-24 years of age
* 62% of motorcycle collisions involve fuel tank leaks which generally causes a fire.
* Significant drops in motorcycle collisions occur as a result of riders using their headlamps in the daylight hours
* A cyclist on average has less than 2 seconds to avoid a collision
* Half the injuries suffered by motorcyclists are injuries to the foot, ankle, upper and lower leg and knee.
* Semi-chopper motorcycles and café racer style motorcycles have the highest rates of motorcycle collisions
One can see that motorcycle collisions in Toledo are hard to avoid with such statistics available.
