Do You Follow Too Closely?

Do you follow too closely to the vehicle in front of you?

If yes, then you shouldn’t. Because, in a recent study, it was found that most motorcycle crashes happen when riders follow too closely. They crash into the rear end of the vehicle in front of them.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute learned this result in a motorcycle crash study when they chose 100 volunteers to study the behavior. So, if you also ride too closely to the rear of the vehicle in front of you, then stop following closely; otherwise, you may get into a lot of trouble.

Following Too Closely?

I hate to say it, but there was a time I even did it myself. But, if you notice, most of the riders do the same thing. The science behind this is the visibility of motorcycle riders. Unlike, car drivers, who sit in a car and are unable to see 10 m ahead of them. But motorcyclists can see everything clearly because they don’t have a hood or bonnet blocking the view of the road in front of them. As a result, most motorcyclists believe they are leaving a reasonable gap, and everything is under control. So, they tend to stay close to the vehicle in front of them. Plus, motorcyclists are not like car drivers, who rarely overtake another vehicle and usually drive in a single lane. On the contrary, motorcyclists switch lanes and overtake a vehicle in front of them all the time.

This habit of extra visibility and following a vehicle too closely is very dangerous. That’s why, regardless of how good your riding skills are, you could run into the rear of a vehicle in front of you.

See Also: Things to Do After a Minor Crash

Stopping Distances

Another problem with following too closely to the vehicles in front is stopping.

A car has four rubber tires, which can stop a lot faster than a motorcycle that has only two narrow tires. So, if you are in a situation where you are following too closely to the rear of a car in front of you and suddenly the car hits the brakes, then there is more than 90 percent chance that you will surely hit the rear of the car.

So, remember a motorcycle does not have much of a stopping distance. To gauge the right distance between your motorcycle and vehicle in front of you, follow the rule of the 3-second gap.

Weaving

Weaving in traffic is also another reason for rear-end accidents and crashes of motorcycle riders while following too closely. Cars can easily weave; however, it is difficult for a motorcycle that is following the vehicle in front of it too closely. There will be very little chance that you can actually avoid the rear end of the vehicle. Especially, if you are riding in the middle of the lane. The only way you can have any chance to weave around the front vehicle is if you are riding in either the left or the right wheel track.

I hope this article helped you understand the consequences of following the vehicle in front of you too closely. If you know anything about riding too close to a vehicle or can provide some suggestions, then please let us know in the comment section below.