7 Common Motorcycle Crashes And How To Avoid Them In Charlotte, NC

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7 Common Motorcycle Crashes And How To Avoid Them In Charlotte, NC

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It was a beautiful spring day and you decided to take your motorcycle out for a ride to the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. As you ride down Belmeade Drive, a car unexpectedly turns left in front of you. What do you do in that instant? This article explores how to avoid seven common motorcycle accidents:

  1. Left Turning Cars
  2. Lane Switching
  3. Head-On Collisions
  4. Lane Splitting
  5. Intoxication
  6. Corner Turning
  7. High-Speed Collisions


1. Left Turning Cars

The most common type of motorcycle accident is when a car attempts to make a left-hand turn directly in front of your motorcycle. This unsafe movement accounts for 42% of all accidents involving a motorcycle and a car. This scenario typically occurs when a motorcycle is going straight through an intersection, passing a car, or trying to overtake a car.

In order to avoid this type of crash, you must be able to anticipate the other drivers’ movements. Look for indicators someone may be about to turn in front of you such as: a car sitting in an intersection waiting to turn; a gap in traffic in front of you; the driver does a last-second “look both ways” head maneuver.

If you notice any of the above behavior, begin to slow down. Move over to the outside most lane away from the car and prepare to brake or take evasive action. 

**It is a proven fact that psychologically, car drivers are NOT looking for motorcyclists. They have trained their brains to look for large vehicles similar to what they are driving.**

2. Lane Switching

This common motorcycle accident occurs when a car begins to merge into your lane while they are next to you. Motorcycles are easily obstructed in blind spots of cars and the car driver may not be paying attention.

If you are in a car’s blind spot, speed up or slow down to get out of it. If you can’t see the car’s mirrors, that means the car driver cannot see you.

If you notice a car making any of the following movements, it likely means the car is preparing to change lanes and you should drive defensively to avoid being hit: turn signals come on, wheels begin to turn, driver checks his mirrors, or the driver swivels his head.

3. Head-On Collisions

The National Safety Council recommends the “Four R’s” to avoid a head-on collision:

  • Read the road ahead
  • Drive to the Right
  • Reduce your speed
  • Ride off the road

Head-on collisions between a motorcycle and a car are usually fatal for the motorcyclist. Head-on collisions are the most fatal of all motorcycle crashes. A motorcyclist’s chances to die or get seriously injured increases exponentially if involved in a head-on collision. That is why it is important to remember the Four R’s to try and avoid these types of crashes.

4. Lane Splitting

Lane splitting happens when a motorcycle drives between two lanes of stopped or slowed traffic. This can cause a motorcycle accident because of the proximity of closeness to the car, the reduced space a motorcyclist has to maneuver, and cars moving because they do not anticipate someone is passing them. 

5. Intoxication

In 2019, there were 4,733 motorcycle riders killed in traffic crashes. Of those, 1,383 (29%) were alcohol-impaired (BAC of .08 g/dL or higher). In addition, there were 354 (7%) motorcycle riders killed who had lower alcohol levels (BACs of .01 to .07 g/DL).1

Motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes, whether killed or survived, in 2019, had higher percentages of alcohol impairment than any other type of motor vehicle driver (29% for motorcycle riders, 20% for passenger car drivers, 19% for light-truck drivers, and 2% for large-truck drivers).2

Please don’t drink and ride. If you have had too much to drink please call a friend or use a rideshare app to make sure you get home safely.

6. Corner Turning

Turns can be difficult to compensate or correct for motorcyclists. If you come across a patch of gravel, sand, leaves, water, etc., your front tire may lose traction and you can lose control of your motorcycle. The best way to avoid this common cause of motorcycle accidents is to ride at a safe speed, so that you have enough time to react to a tight corner or a hazard. 

7. High-Speed Collisions

Thirty-three percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2019 were speeding.3 Motorcycle riders aged 21 to 24 years old involved in fatal crashes had the highest speeding involvement at 49 percent.4

It is important to travel the speed limit and to drive appropriate with road, weather and traffic conditions when you are riding your motorcycle.

CONTACT THE LAW OFFICES OF JASON E. TAYLOR, P.C.

If you have been in a motorcycle accident in Charlotte, North Carolina, please do not hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, P.C.. Our motorcycle accident lawyers are here to assist you. Call us for a free evaluation of your case. You may be entitled to a settlement for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.


  1. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/Publication/813112
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STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Your Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/

https://www.transunion.com/credit-help
1-888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state attorney general. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; 1-202-442-9828; and oag.dc.gov.

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-576-6300 or 1-888-743-0023; and https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/.

For New Mexico residents, consumers have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in their credit file has been used against them, the right to know what is in their credit file, the right to ask for their credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to consumers’ files is limited; consumers must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; consumers may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance based on information in their credit report; and consumers may seek damages from violators. Consumers may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage consumers to review their rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov.

For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; 1-401-274-4400; and www.riag.ri.gov. Under Rhode Island law, individuals have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this event.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT A MINOR DEPENDENT’S PERSONAL INFORMATION

Typically, credit reporting agencies do not have a credit report in a minor’s name. To find out if a minor has a credit report or to request a manual search for a minor’s Social Security number each credit bureau has its own process. To learn more about these processes or request these services, consumers may contact the credit bureaus by phone, writing, or online:
Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/request-child-credit-report/
https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resources/child-identity-theft

1-800-685-1111 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

To request information about the existence of a credit file in a minor’s name, search for a minor’s Social Security number, place a security freeze or fraud alert on a minor’s credit report (if one exists), or request a copy of a minor’s credit report consumers may be required to provide the following information:
● A copy of their driver’s license or another government issued identification card, such as a state identification card, etc.;
● Proof of address, such as a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, insurance statement, etc.;
● A copy of the minor’s birth certificate;
● A copy of the minor’s Social Security card;
● The minor’s full name, including middle initial and generation, such as JR, SR, II, III, etc.;
● The minor’s date of birth; and
● The minor’s previous addresses for the past two years.

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