If you’re riding back door, you’re probably an experienced rider. Tail gunners are important because they watch over the group and help in case of a problem.
Your club needs your masterful skills to watch for motorcycle accidents and keep them safe. Think of yourself as the guardian, and keep these types of common accidents in mind as you ride.
1. Road Hazards
Because motorcycles are smaller vehicles, road hazards are more dangerous for them. If you’re driving the back door in a group of riders, you’ll need to pay close attention to what the other riders are doing.
Notice them all swerving or avoiding a section of road? You may way to follow their lead so that you don’t hit the hazard they’re dodging.
Even a small pothole or bump can be disastrous if you’re not prepared. Prepare for problems like this on the road by taking a driving course. Practice swerving at the last second to avoid sudden obstacles.
If you can’t avoid the hazard, the best way to take a bump is to go straight over it, rather than coming from an angle. Stiffen the legs and prepare to hang on tight. Coming from an angle can cause the bike tires to skid and the rider to spin out.
2. Left-Turn Accidents
One common way you’ll find yourself eating asphalt is on a left-turn collision. Citizens are hard to see anyway. Yet if a driver is waiting to turn and focusing on looking for cars and trucks, they may not see you or your bike.
Turning in front of a motorcycle or crashing while being overtaken are common mistakes cars make, and you may want a motorcycle accident attorney to help you get compensation.
Learn more about a possible course of action with a motorcycle accident lawyer if you’ve been injured in a left-turn accident.
3. Rear-End Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycles stop a lot faster than larger vehicles. They weigh less, and their stopping distance is much shorter, so a common fatal motorcycle accident is when they get hit from behind.
Motorcycles sit close to the ground, and their tail lights are a lot smaller than cars and trucks. It’s easy for a diver to miss a motorcyclist and crash into them from behind.
As a sweep, you’re the most likely rider to experience a rear-end motorcycle accident because every other bike is in front of you. However, riding in groups is a good way to make sure other drivers see you on the road because you attract more attention than one bike alone.
4. Distracted Driving
Motorcyclists can be the victim of distracted driving accidents, too. Drivers on their cell phones can’t pay as much attention to the road. Drunk driving is another form of impaired driving, too.
The back door can watch for these types of problems, both from other drivers and from the cyclists in the group. Make sure you’re all riding safely together.
Freedom Ride
The open road gives you a feeling of freedom, especially from your seat on a motorcycle. As the back door, it’s your job to watch for motorcycle accidents in the group, especially common ones like left-turn, rear-end, and road hazard crashes.
Distracted driving is another big problem for riders. Keep the others safe in your group as you keep an eye out for these issues.
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