Despite having many benefits in Texas traffic, motorcycles are often involved in collisions, despite adhering to the road rules. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than half of the 2017 motorcycle fatalities occurred in an urban setting during daylight, not on rural roads at night.
If you ride, sharing the road with bigger, heavier vehicles comes with its own set of rules.
Motorcycle laws in Texas
You must take a test, have a valid M class drivers’ license and register the bike before taking to the roads legally. Just as you need insurance for a four-wheeled vehicle, you also must have a motorcycle-specific policy. Helmets are legally required for riders under the age of 21, but those over 21 can use their discretion, as long as they have the appropriate insurance coverage and complete rider training courses.
Defensive driving techniques
Drivers of passenger vehicles expect other cars and trucks around them. If they aren’t used to sharing the road with motorcycles, they may look but not see you. This look but fail to see phenomenon often causes collisions along straight stretches of road and at intersections. One of the tenets of defensive driving includes operating under the assumption that drivers won’t see you. Driving close to the dividing line helps you stay out of many blind spots and allows you to swerve left or right should the need arise.
If you sustain injuries in a collision with a car, the insurance company may minimize the compensation or insinuate that your recklessness caused the accident. As a result, understanding your rights is critical to obtaining a settlement that reflects your accident-related losses such as medical expenses, lost wages and replacing your ride.