Learning About Criminal Law Cases

When you ride a motorcycle, you face certain dangers that people who drive vehicles do not have to contend with. Since these dangers become intensified at nighttime, you need to be extra cautious to keep from having an accident. If you enjoy riding your motorcycle at night, avoid making the following mistakes that could increase your chances of being involved in a motorcycle accident.

Wearing Dark Riding Gear

While wearing a black leather jacket and chaps along with a dark helmet may be your preferred riding gear during the day, doing so at night will make you more difficult to see. When you wear dark gear, drivers on the road cannot see you clearly because you blend into the surrounding darkness. Instead of wearing dark riding gear, opt for ones with bright colors such as yellow or orange.

If these are completely against your style preferences, and you refuse to wear brightly colored gear, you can apply white, yellow, or orange reflective tape to your jacket, helmet, and chaps. Also, consider applying a few strips to your motorcycle. These strips are removable so that you can take them off while riding during the day.

Sharing Lanes with Other Vehicles 

Another mistake to avoid while riding your motorcycle at night is to attempt to share lanes with other vehicles, which is also known as lane-splitting. While it is never an idea to lane-split, doing so at night could result in a serious accident. 

Whenever you attempt to ride in a lane next to a car or truck, you may be riding in their blind spot, making it difficult for them to even know you are there. This problem is compounded at night, even if you are wearing reflective clothing or strips, as headlights from vehicles behind them make it harder to see.

And, if you are involved in a motorcycle accident while lane-splitting, you may be found at fault for the accident. Since you were attempting to switch lanes or pass in an area that was occupied by another vehicle, this could be found as unsafe driving on your part, and you may be found responsible for causing the other vehicle to wreck.

Even if you avoid the above mistakes and ride your motorcycle as safely as possible while traveling at night, you may still be involved in an accident. If so, contact a motorcycle accident lawyer so they can review your case and discuss with you your next course of action.