Many people assume that motorcycles are hard to miss in traffic. In many cases, they are quite loud, possibly because of modifications that the rider has made to the vehicle. They are also relatively large, even though they may not be as big as enclosed motor vehicles. Some motorcycle riders even wear visibility gear in bright colors to attract attention from people in traffic for their safety.
Despite all of those factors, drivers frequently overlook motorcycles in traffic. They fail to yield to motorcycles at intersections or merge into a lane already occupied by a motorcycle on a busy freeway. Those momentary lapses in judgment and awareness can have devastating consequences for the person on the motorcycle.
Why do so many drivers fail to recognize motorcycles in traffic?
Drivers have too much to monitor
Moving at high speeds in traffic creates a glut of incoming visual information. The brain cannot focus on every detail in traffic, so it subconsciously assesses different visual information and prioritizes what seems to be the most important. It is common for drivers to be immediately aware of larger vehicles and those approaching rapidly in traffic. The brain recognizes these as a potential threat.
Motorcycles, given their smaller size, may not command the attention of a driver unless they intentionally look for them. The phenomenon known as inattentional blindness may mean that a driver looks directly at a motorcycle without consciously realizing it is there.
Safety awareness campaigns for motorcycle riders often focus on reminding people to intentionally look for motorcycles in traffic. Doing so could be the difference between avoiding a motorcycle collision and hitting a motorcycle with devastating consequences.
Loud music, aftermarket modifications and even visibility gear are insufficient to overcome the intentional blindness of motorists in traffic. The onus is on the driver to properly monitor their surroundings rather than on the motorcycle rider to draw attention to themselves.
If a motorcycle crash does occur because a driver doesn’t notice a motorcycle, the injured rider may have grounds for an insurance claim or possibly even a personal injury lawsuit. Understanding what contributes to motorcycle crash risk can help drivers prioritize everyone’s safety.