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Most people who do ride motorcycles are safe and responsible, Mahler stressed.
Even so, riding a motorcycle has inherent risks. Carelessness, overconfidence or a lack of confidence can all contribute to motorcycle accidents, according to Lt. Cuno Andersen, a former motorcycle officer with the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office.
“When you’re on a motorcycle you need to drive defensively all of the time,” Andersen said.
According to Mahler, the crash that occurred at the intersection of Leeds Manor Road and John Marshall Highway last Saturday happened when a vehicle pulled out in front of the motorcycle.
The driver of the motorcycle and a passenger were both taken to the hospital, according to the accident report.
“In a lot of the wrecks that I’ve worked involving motorcycles, the other driver says they never even saw it,” Mahler said.
Inexperience and lack of proper training also lead riders to underestimate how powerful the machines are — and that results in plenty of spills, Mahler added.
Rider Steve Johnson agreed. “Bikes today are much more powerful .than they used to be,” he said. Speeding to disaster
None of the people involved in the weekend crashes appeared to be engaging in motorcycle racing at the time, Mahler said. But excessive speed often plays a role in motorcycle wrecks, he added.
“Some of these bikes are very unforgiving, (so) you have to respect speed,” Mahler said. “If you make one mistake, you could die.”
Excessive speed, coupled with challenging terrain like
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