One of the most common types of motorcycle accidents is the left turn accident. This does not mean that the motorcyclist is turning, but rather that another vehicle is turning left in front of the rider. The motorcycle has the right of way on the two-way street, and the turning driver should yield and only make their turn after the bike has passed.

Unfortunately, if that driver doesn’t yield, then the motorcyclist strikes the side of the vehicle as it turns. This can be a very devastating accident that leads to severe injuries, and it is often a fatal crash. So why does it keep happening? Here are some of the reasons drivers give.

1. I never saw them

First and foremost, many drivers will say that they never saw the motorcycle at all. Maybe they were looking for other types of vehicles. Maybe the bike blended into the pavement. For whatever reason, they didn’t even know they were turning in front of the bike until it was too late.

2. The motorcyclist was speeding

Turning drivers will often claim that motorcyclists were speeding. But what is actually happening is that motorcycles are small, so they appear to be farther away than they really are. The turning driver just misjudges the distance and assumes that the bike must have been speeding to cover that distance so quickly.

3. I was distracted

Naturally, distracted driving is a major issue and can cause drivers to miss all sorts of important details, from traffic lights to stop signs to oncoming motorcycles. A distracted driver could easily turn in front of a bike and cause an entirely avoidable accident.

These accidents often lead to severe injuries, so it’s important that motorcycle riders understand all of their legal options.