5 Important Motorcycle Safety Tips for Riders
Motorcycle Safety Tips for New and Seasoned Riders
Riding a motorcycle is an extremely freeing and liberating activity, but part of the reason it produces these feelings is because of how dangerous it can be. Most experienced riders can tell you stories of some pretty brutal crashes, which can occur even when they’ve logged thousands of hours on their bike. For new motorcycle riders, this should be a point of interest. Motorcycle safety and injury prevention go hand in hand, so understanding the basics can go a long way. More importantly, an awareness of basic motorcycle safety tips from the jump will help new motorcycle riders cultivate good habits that will protect them as their riding careers stretch over years and years. Here are my five top motorcycle safety tips for new motorcycle riders, to ensure motorcycle safety and injury prevention.
Motorcycle safety tips might seem like a drag, but in a pinch, they save lives. These five motorcycle safety tips can keep you safe on the roads in case disaster strikes:
Buy an Appropriate Bike
While it can be easy to get carried away imagining yourself on a humongous or blazing fast bike, you need to dip your toes in the water before jumping in the deep end. Buying an appropriate bike to begin on will help you learn the basics of motorcycle riding more easily, so that you can master them before moving up to a better bike. Motorcycle safety starts with your bike, so put yourself in a good situation for injury prevention by starting with a beginner bike.
Helmet, Helmet, HELMET!
There is some controversy about wearing motorcycle helmets, but the data is in on how much protection they offer. Motorcycle riders who wear helmets are 37% less likely to die from head trauma, and 67% less likely to suffer brain injuries in a crash. Popping on a helmet before you ride is important for every level of rider, because motorcycles are less visible and more vulnerable than cars, especially on the highway.
Avoid Bad Weather
Piggybacking on the previous tip, one of the factors that most compounds the danger in riding a motorcycle is the weather. Whether it’s raining, snowing, or even very windy, the conditions can heavily impact your riding experience. For beginner riders, avoiding bad weather is a great tactic for ensuring injury prevention and motorcycle safety.
Ride Defensively
Cars are exponentially more dangerous to motorcyclists than to other cars, so motorcyclists should always take extra caution while on the roads. Despite the riders you frequently see whipping through traffic in between lanes, this is extremely dangerous, and can lead to devastating injury. As a new motorcycle rider, you can maximize your motorcycle safety by always driving defensively, to prevent accidents and reduce the likelihood of injury. When riding a motorcycle, consider yourself as invisible to the traffic around you. Ride as if cars cannot and will not see you. Assume cars will not stop or yield at intersections, and plan for that by slowing down and scanning the intersection. At all costs, avoid riding in the blind spot of other drivers.
Take a Motorcycle Safety Course
In order to get an understanding of what you need to know, and how you need to drive, it’s a great idea for new motorcycle riders to take a motorcycle safety course. You will get beginner tips to guide your safety education, as well as learn how to avoid common mistakes on the road.
If you or someone you know is a motorcycle rider who has been injured in an accident, contact Evergreen Personal Injury Counsel today, to see how our team of personal injury experts can get you the justice you deserve for your injury.