One of the common causes of motorcycle accidents is where there has been misjudgments either by a rider or by a driver…or both during the overtaking manoeuvre.
Overtaking accidents, I suppose have two main subsections but they are not in isolation of each other. There is the urban and lower speed overtaking accident and the rural and higher speed overtaking accident.
We repeatedly see in urban areas, lower speed overtaking and filtering/lane splitting accidents, especially near junctions and in most cases a driver has not noted that a motorcycle or scooter is approaching from the rear or from within the blind spot. Also, sometimes a rider has not checked behind them to see if another vehicle is approaching. The rider has also not factored for a driver that may not be able to see the rider as they might be ‘hidden in the blind spot’ or has not allowed enough time & space to slow down or brake in time when a vehicle suddenly pulls across their path. Overtaking slow moving or queuing traffic is also very common and invariably it is a combination of speed, not enough spacing and poor observation on both parties that has really contributed to the accident.
Occasionally a motorcycle accident will also occur in urban areas where the rider may suddenly overtake a slower moving vehicle ahead; perform a sweeping, high speed or accelerating overtake manoeuvre and lose control or not able to brake in time or avoid another vehicle ahead that may be emerging or merely queuing.
Linked into overtaking queuing traffic is where motorcycles are slowly overtaking but oncoming traffic has not moved over to the nearside of their lane. Although the motorcycle has crossed into the oncoming lane and has not made sure they have a space to feed back into, the oncoming vehicle has also contributed by refusing to yield. This low speed accident or near miss is very common and can be a cause of frustration for both parties but it is where both parties have also played their part in creating.
Urban riding and urban overtaking accidents in many cases are due to misjudgements in timing, spacing & closing speeds as well as poor observation from either rider, driver or both. The rider needs to use their elevated position to make best use of observation of the traffic flow and any hazards developing, but also create an extra margin of safety around themselves to allow for vehicles that may encroach. The drivers need to improve their observation and be conscious of all traffic and any motorcycles etc that may emerge from behind a larger vehicle.
In rural areas, there are a few scenarios whereby a misjudgment in overtaking has led to an accident. These are usually higher speed overtaking at or near side junctions, before bends or on exits of bends.
Overtaking before approaching or at side junctions is quite common, and this is really down to misjudgments by the rider. A vehicle ahead, may be masking any vehicles that may be emerging from a side junction or the vehicle ahead may make a late turning into the junction. Either way the rider is left with very limited options; no time, no space and no chance to avoid a collision or whilst avoiding, the rider loses control and lays the bike down or leaves the road and collides with a wall, tree or hedge etc. Any rider approaching a side junction with a vehicle ahead should wait until the junction is passed before making the overtake and this will dramatically reduce the potential hazards.
Similarly approaching bends, especially hidden bends, many accidents occur because the rider has performed an overtake and not given themselves enough time to adopt a good road position, to avoid an obstacle, debris or crack/pothole in the road or an oncoming vehicle near the centre of the road. Because of the continued acceleration during the overtake and approaching the bend, the rider is entering the bend too fast, which either leads to the rider running wide and colliding with an oncoming vehicle or lose control and leave the road and collide with a tree or wall etc. The rider may also have acknowledged the excessive speed and may have corrected with excessive braking in the bend and this has led them to lose control.
Any rider approaching a bend with a vehicle ahead must allow enough space to perform the overtake and approach the bend at an appropriate speed and in control at a good road position. Avoid overtakes when approaching tight bends or hidden bends, especially if there are high obstacles that hide the exit of the bends. On UK roads( driving on the left) pay particular attention on left bends and on European/USA roads (driving on the right) pay particular attention on right bends. Always be sure before you commence the overtake that you have enough room or enough road to perform the overtake and set up correctly for the bend and can avoid a potential hazard as it presents itself.
Overtaking on exits of bends has been more linked to the rider looking for an opportunity to overtake and then applying power…too much…which has led to a loss of control, or the rider has ridden too closely and ridden into the rear of the vehicle in front and/or the rider has not factored for the vehicle slowing down, thus causing a rear end collision. At other times, with the eagerness to overtake the rider has not factored beyond the overtake manoeuvre and has not set up correctly for the next bend, or has been going too fast or avoid another developing hazard.
There may be more opportunities to perform overtakes on a motorcycle because of the narrow profile and greater power to weight ratio, but there are many opportunities to make a misjudgement and have an accident.
Each rider should always be assessing the set up for the overtake and that means not only what is ahead but also what is behind, the performing of the overtake and the completion of the overtake with the set up for the next manoeuvre in mind. It is about making the right decisions at the right time having made sure that hazards are not present and/or can be avoided successfully.
Remember this: Just because you can…doesn’t mean you should! Just because you should…doesn’t mean you have to!
I would advise any rider to take further training or refresher training on overtaking, but most importantly the rider must be responsible for making the best informed decisions. The right time to go and the wrong time to go may change on a daily basis, depending on the circumstances that present themselves.
Each overtake should be controlled at all phases and the rider should be assessing themselves, the other road users and the road layout and condition to determine whether they start and or continue the overtake. Although sweeping in and out of traffic may be a successful method…it does not mean that it has been a controlled approach. Similarly some riders may feel the square or box type overtake is too slow and cumbersome and does not make full use of any overtaking opportunities.
The key is to have an awareness of all the factors and hazards involved, and then always maintain full control of the motorcycle before, during and after the overtake. This will lend itself to a successful overtake, free of incident. But just like any skill, it has to be practiced, over and over again to maintain proficiency. Sometimes the best practice is to make the decision not to overtake and sometimes the best practice will be to modify your approach and execution.
If in doubt, take advantage of extra training or go out and practice. First in low density traffic times and on straight roads and gradually build up proficiency.