Most Common External Causes Of Motorcycle Accidents In Port Charlotte

Like other parts of Florida, Port Charlotte has the good fortune of enjoying mild weather throughout the year. That makes the area a prime candidate for motorcycle enthusiasts to enjoy riding their vehicles, whether it’s Christmas or Summer vacation.

Because there are so many motorcycles in the Port Charlotte area, accidents involving motorcycles are a tragic but not uncommon occurrence. In many of these situations, the accident isn’t even the motorcyclist's fault, but the negligence of other vehicles on the road or environmental factors. Here are some of the most common external causes of motorcycle accidents in Port Charlotte.

Left Turning Cars

This is the most common cause of motorcycle accidents by far, with 42% of motorcycle accidents attributed to the carelessness of automobile drivers. Left turns at intersections are legal, but only when the right of way is given to pedestrians and other cars. However, making a left turn at a busy intersection can sometimes lead impatient drivers to take chances and try for a turn at the earliest opportunity, even if it may not be safe.

As a result, left turns can hit pedestrians, other cars, and motorcyclists due to the haste in which these turns are taken. Such accidents are almost always entirely the fault of the vehicle owner since they should have given others the right of way.

Lane Changes

Another common cause of motorcycle accidents is car or truck drivers making a lane change without properly checking their blind spot. When impatient drivers can miss vehicles as large as other cars, it’s no wonder that a smaller vehicle like a motorcycle is more likely to go unnoticed by preoccupied drivers.

This means that while a motorcyclist may be completely in the right, riding in their own lane, they may suddenly collide with a car because the driver didn’t bother to check carefully to ensure the way was clear. Once again, the rider has done nothing wrong; the driver’s carelessness has resulted in the accident.

Loose Gravel

Only some roads will be smoothly paved asphalt providing maximum traction. In some cases, roadways may use other surfaces, such as gravel. This is not so much an issue for broader, four-wheeled vehicles with a lower center of gravity, but traction can sometimes be an issue for motorcycles.

The looser surface can cause motorcycles to slip, which, unfortunately, can often mean serious injuries for the motorcyclist since, unlike drivers, motorcyclists have no protection from seatbelts, airbags, or roll cages, only their helmets, and clothing.

Potholes

Similar to loose gravel, this is an environmental hazard that can wreak havoc on motorcyclists. Unlike loose gravel, potholes are not a deliberate design or construction decision but rather the result of neglect of a road surface that has yet to be addressed.

As with cars, motorcycles react very differently to hitting potholes on roads. Cars are larger vehicles with more mass and four wheels, so even if one wheel encounters a pothole, it’s little more than a “stumble” for a car, as it is large enough and stable enough to maintain direction. With only two wheels and considerably less mass, motorcycles are far more vulnerable. If a motorcyclist is unaware of a pothole—which is easy enough to miss at night—an encounter with a pothole can throw a rider off the bike completely, depending on factors like speed and angle of approach.

Get The Compensation You Deserve

you’re a motorcyclist in Port Charlotte and you get into an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you don’t have to carry the burden of recovery alone. If someone else’s careless actions have caused your injury, you can hold the responsible parties financially accountable. Talk to a motorcycle accident attorney to find out how.