CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 2 CODY BISNETT
New Hampshire Army National Guard
Concord, New Hampshire
A recent near-miss traffic incident between a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle served as a stark reminder of the split-second margins that dictate survival for riders on the road. The incident occurred about at the intersection of South County Highway 395 and East Royal Fern Way, a popular corridor cutting through the Point Washington State Forest area of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Under clear skies, dry road conditions and moderate spring traffic, what began as a routine ride nearly turned catastrophic.
According to the 38-year-old rider, he was cruising northbound in the right lane of Highway 395 at about 45 mph, matching the posted speed limit. As he approached the intersection, a civilian motorist in a westbound four-door sedan failed to yield the right of way and initiated a left turn across the oncoming lanes. Realizing the sedan had cut off his path, the rider only had a fraction of a second to react. Using his defensive riding techniques, the rider executed a rapid, controlled deceleration while counter-steering into a sharp swerve toward the left edge of his lane. The maneuver allowed him to narrowly clear the sedan's front bumper, and both motorists escaped without injury or property damage.
Motorcycle safety experts say this incident is a textbook example of one of the most hazardous scenarios riders face on public roads. According to federal highway safety data, left-turning vehicles crossing a rider's path account for more than one-third of all multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes. The primary culprit is often driver inattention or a cognitive phenomenon known as the "time compression effect." Because motorcycles have a much smaller visual profile than passenger vehicles, the human brain struggles to accurately judge their closing speed and distance. Drivers looking in the direction of an oncoming motorcycle frequently perceive it as traveling slower or being farther away than it actually is, leading to fatal miscalculations.
In this instance, the rider's active situational awareness and prompt braking proficiency proved to be the difference between a close call and a fatal collision. Traffic safety analysts note that a rider's lane positioning, continuous scanning and readiness to swerve are often their only lines of defense when a motorist's attention lapses. To combat these recurring hazards, motorists and riders are urged to adopt proactive habits.
- For drivers, public awareness campaigns like "Look Twice for Motorcycles" emphasize checking blind spots twice before committing to a turn. Because drivers naturally scan for larger visual targets like cars or trucks, they must train themselves to actively look for smaller profiles, including motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians.
- For motorcyclists, this incident underscores the lifesaving value of advanced rider training, high-visibility clothing and daytime running lights. Wearing vibrant gear helps break up a rider's profile against natural backdrops, such as the dense foliage of the Point Washington State Forest, giving drivers those crucial extra seconds to react.
As seasonal traffic increases in coastal areas like the Florida Panhandle, this near miss stands as a powerful testament to the shared responsibility of the road. While this encounter ended without a scratch, it is a sobering reminder that the line between a routine ride and a catastrophic mishap is often just a few feet wide.