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For years, there has been ongoing concern for the safety of motorcyclists (and bikers) who share the road with larger automobiles. Unlike automobile occupants, motorcyclists do not enjoy the benefit of airbags or other safety equipment that is typically contained in most vehicles today. That said, when a motorcyclist gets into an accident, the results can be devastating. Randall Spivey and his team of Ft. Myers personal injury attorneys have seen all too often the catastrophic effects of motorcycle accidents through the victims' eyes.

Many of the accidents that occur with motorcycles happen with other automobiles. Oftentimes, the accident could have been avoided had the driver of the automobile taken extra precautions to watch out for motorcycles on the roadway. Motorcyclists and automobile drivers share responsibility when it comes to safely operating vehicles on the road; however, reckless and/or negligent drivers will always exist. But hopefully, more motorcycle accidents will be prevented through the use of new technology in the future: vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

What is Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communication?

In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced it was moving forward with steps to enable use of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology in the future. To start, the technology would be made available for use in light vehicles, such as automobiles, pickup trucks and SUVs. So, what will the technology do?

V2V will allow automobiles, SUVs and pickups to "talk" to each other by quickly and continuously exchanging information about a vehicle's movements. Apparently, the technology has been tested and it has been proven to be effective in preventing certain kinds of accidents, namely intersection collisions, rear-end crashes and lane-changing accidents.

The technology keeps track of vehicles' speed, movements and braking and has the ability to warn vehicle operators to help them avoid possible collisions. The difference between this technology and other types of safety systems is that V2V does not disengage or engage any motor vehicle functions -- it simply tells drivers that a collision could happen.

How Would V2V Help Keep Motorcyclists Safe?

Because automobile operators often say they didn't or couldn't see the motorcyclist prior to a collision, V2V could be extremely beneficial to motorcyclists because it could give automobile drivers a better idea of where motorcyclists are and how fast they are traveling, even if they are unable to physically see the biker.

More specifically, drivers whose automobiles are equipped with the technology will, in essence, have 360 degrees of awareness on the roads. Right now, the focus is on adding the technology to automobiles; however, additional systems are being considered if the system continues to prove to be effective. Until that time, though, drivers and motorcyclists are still encouraged to stay alert and use safe driving skills to avoid collisions. Attorney Randall Spivey and his team of personal injury lawyers want everyone to stay safe and provides information on how to do so in his blog, How to Stay Safe on Motorcycles.

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed due to a motorcycle collision and you have questions about your legal rights and options, contact the attorneys at the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. today.