Although we encounter motorcycles on the road every day, quite a few drivers do not immediately notice their presence. As a result, motorcycles are always at risk of accidents, and a recent study found the cause of this phenomenon.
Since the pandemic, a large number of motorcycles have appeared on the road and the number of accidents has increased accordingly. The causes of accidents are varied, but there are also obvious reasons for the negligence of car drivers. In this process, there are several assumptions between motorcyclists, one is that the car driver hates or ignores the rider, and the other is that the car driver is distracted and does not detect the motorcycle in time.
Therefore, although some regions have proposed self-help measures such as installing lighting devices or increasing the sound of exhaust systems, the number of accidents continues to increase as the number of motorcycles increases. Of course, not all the reasons are because of motorcycle drivers.
In Europe, where motorcycle culture developed earlier, many riders have also experienced collisions with cars. In particular, many accidents are caused by driver negligence, and a recent study revealed the causes of this phenomenon.
Shell Silva, a professor and rider at the University of Bournemouth in the UK, uses eye tracking technology to test what car drivers are looking at and what they track first while driving. As a result, an interesting fact was revealed, which is the so-called eye jump masking phenomenon. In simple terms, "eye jump masking" refers to the phenomenon in which the brain temporarily blocks unnecessary visual information.
For example, this phenomenon occurs when you look at your pupils through a mirror, and if you alternate between the pupils of the left and right eyes near the mirror, you cannot see your pupils moving left and right. Obviously, the eyes move and you don't notice.
According to Dr. Shell Silva, this phenomenon also applies to roads. In particular, if there are moving tracks of cars and other objects on the road, the time for the human eye to recognize different objects is also different, and the time for the human eye to recognize something slow may slow down or be undetectable. Therefore, there are slower motorcycles, bicycles, and electric scooters.
What's more, the size of the size also has a big impact, as motorists tend to recognize larger cars first, so it turns out that smaller motorcycles won't be noticed right away.
This phenomenon is the result of a long-standing human habit and is due to the tendency to see objects larger than oneself as a threat. That's why motorcycle riders react a lot to the car's small movements and are surprised.
As a result, Dr. Shell has left the following safe riding advice for riders.
First of all, if the driver's eyes cannot be seen through the rearview mirror of the motorcycle, the driver is simply unaware of the existence of the motorcycle. So be sure to drive carefully. Stay as far away from motorized vehicles as possible. But whatever the advice, wear a helmet first. In addition to preventing head injuries in the event of an accident, it can also reduce the risk of potential accidents.
It is also a good idea to use reflectors or use lighting fixtures within the legal range. It's especially important to give yourself plenty of free space and time to react. Of course, this is a long-term lesson for drivers and riders. The only difference is that studies prove that drivers may not be able to see motorcycles on the road.