Keen to be seen

Four out of every five motorcycle crashes in New Zealand involve another vehicle. And yes, the majority of those crashes are due to the actions of the other driver. The most common reason they give as the recently retired rider is carried off on a stretcher?

"Y'know, I looked but I didn't see him."¹

A New Zealand study found the single most common cause (41%) of all collisions was another vehicle pulling out in front of the motorcyclist. A further 32% of collision crashes occur at intersections.²

And the situation may be getting worse thanks to the increasing proportion of taller vehicles (such as 4WDs and commercials) that now make it harder to see and be seen across traffic. It's particularly a problem for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Don't head for rehab blaming the driver, no matter how incompetent. There is plenty you can do to 'stack the deck' in your favour.

What you wear can make a difference. In one recent New Zealand study, riders wearing reflective or fluorescent clothing had a 37% lower risk than others who did not. Wearing of white helmets was also associated with a 24% lower risk than wearing black helmets. Riders with lights on during the day had a 27% lower risk.³ Here's what else you can do:

• Don't ever assume they've seen you.
• Don't weave between lanes in heavy traffic.
• Learn to recognise each vehicle's blind spot and stay out of them.
• Try to stay long enough in each driver's rear-vision mirror to make sure they have seen you before you move on.
• Use your horn if you think you haven't been seen.
• Move within your lane to improve your chances of being seen.
• If your rush-hour lane is moving freely but the lane beside you has slowed or even stopped, watch for impatient drivers suddenly switching lanes.

1) Young, J. & Fink-Jensen, K. (2001), Motorcycle Crashes Taxonomic Analysis, Prepared for ACC by BRC Marketing and Social Research, Wellington.

2) Young, J. & Fink-Jensen, K. (2001), Motorcycle Crashes Taxonomic Analysis, Prepared for ACC by BRC Marketing and Social Research, Wellington.

3) Wells, S., Mullin, B., Norton, R., Langley, J., Connor, J., Lay-Yee, R. & Jackson, R. (2004), Motorcycle rider conspicuity and crash-related injury: case-control study. British Medical Journal, Vol. 328, p 7444.