Motorcyclists have little in the form of protection if they are involved in a road traffic accident. Combine this with the fact they are much smaller than other vehicles and it is clear why riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Because of their size, it is difficult for other road users to see them when taking a quick glance to see if the way is clear. There are certain areas where motorcyclists are more at risk because of the amount of traffic or type of road or the speed of the road.
London has a high number of motorcyclists because it is such a congested city and a motorcycle makes a good way of travelling quickly through the traffic. The unpredictability of the traffic makes it extremely dangerous for motorcyclists though. Cars and buses can pull out or change lane in an instant and the time between checking their blind spot and actually manoeuvring is plenty of time for a motorcyclist to fill the gap which they intended to take.
It isn't just congested roads which present a problem for motorcyclists though, rural b roads are also dangerous because of the temptation bikers and others road users have to ride and drive much faster than usual. Bikers usually travel much quicker than other road users too and so at times they have to use the other side of the road to overtake. This can be very dangerous on rural b roads because of traffic coming in the opposite direction.
Junctions are a well-known danger to motorcyclists and have even been used in road safety campaigns to demonstrate this point. Other road users often don't spot motorcyclists approaching in the distance or misread the speed at which they are travelling. This is why there are a lot of accidents involving motorcyclists riding into the sides of vehicles at high speed.
Motorcyclists are well aware of the different dangers they face on the roads but they are dangers they are willing to face nonetheless. Some types of road and some cities are more dangerous to motorcyclists than others but in general it is a dangerous mode of transport. Of all deaths and serious injuries on the road, motorcyclists account for around 20 per cent despite only making up around one per cent of all traffic.
London has a high number of motorcyclists because it is such a congested city and a motorcycle makes a good way of travelling quickly through the traffic. The unpredictability of the traffic makes it extremely dangerous for motorcyclists though. Cars and buses can pull out or change lane in an instant and the time between checking their blind spot and actually manoeuvring is plenty of time for a motorcyclist to fill the gap which they intended to take.
It isn't just congested roads which present a problem for motorcyclists though, rural b roads are also dangerous because of the temptation bikers and others road users have to ride and drive much faster than usual. Bikers usually travel much quicker than other road users too and so at times they have to use the other side of the road to overtake. This can be very dangerous on rural b roads because of traffic coming in the opposite direction.
Junctions are a well-known danger to motorcyclists and have even been used in road safety campaigns to demonstrate this point. Other road users often don't spot motorcyclists approaching in the distance or misread the speed at which they are travelling. This is why there are a lot of accidents involving motorcyclists riding into the sides of vehicles at high speed.
Motorcyclists are well aware of the different dangers they face on the roads but they are dangers they are willing to face nonetheless. Some types of road and some cities are more dangerous to motorcyclists than others but in general it is a dangerous mode of transport. Of all deaths and serious injuries on the road, motorcyclists account for around 20 per cent despite only making up around one per cent of all traffic.
