Safety Tips for Drivers Sharing the Road with Motorcycles | OK Carz

Motorcycle driving on a road with a sunset in the background

How to Watch for and Drive Near Motorcycles

Summer may be over, but in sunny places like Florida, you may notice that motorcycles are still present on the road. To help avoid a collision with a motorcycle, it’s important to know how to spot a nearby motorcycle and what to do when driving near one.

Pay Attention to Blind Spots

The danger with driving a motorcycle is that they are much smaller and harder to see than a car. When you change lanes or turn onto a street, it’s crucial to pay attention to your blind spots to ensure that a motorcyclist isn’t approaching. Additionally, it’s important to never cut off a motorcycle, even if it’s unintentional. Forcing a motorcyclist to brake hard can cause them to slip and fall, potentially resulting in injury to that person.

Give Motorcycles Extra Space

There are two important things to remember when driving near a motorcycle. First, they can stop far quicker than a car can. If you follow a motorcycle too closely, you risk hitting them if they are forced to stop. Second, many motorcyclists slow down by either rolling off the throttle or by downshifting, thus not activating their brake lights. You can make sure you are giving them plenty of space by staying behind them by approximately 3 to 4 seconds.

Don’t Try to Share a Lane with a Motorcycle

You should never try to share a lane with a motorcycle just because they are small. Just like you, motorcycles deserve to have the entire lane. When you see a motorcyclist moving throughout the lane, it is usually to avoid debris and compensate for wind and passing vehicles near them.

Mind Their Turn Signals

Rear angle of a person driving a motorcycle

Unlike most cars, the turn signals on a motorcycle typically don’t automatically turn off after making the turn. Especially with drivers new to driving a motorcycle, they may forget to turn it off manually. Be patient and make sure that they are actually turning.

[ READ MORE: Is Driving Below the Speed Limit Dangerous? ]

Wherever you travel, we hope that you stay safe on the road! For more tips and tricks like this, browse the OKCarz blog. Searching for a vehicle that you can depend on and afford? Explore our large online inventory here.

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