As a motorcyclist, you’re 29-times more likely to be involved in a deadly road accident than individuals in other vehicles. Devastating injuries are even more common. But if you know how to avoid certain risk factors, you can increase your safety. 

Lower Your Risk With These 5 Tips

It’s impossible to know just how exhilarating it is to ride if you’ve never done it before. Until someone has actually hopped on a motorcycle and taken it for a drive on the open road, there’s no way to understand the appeal. But as you know, motorcycling can also be quite dangerous.

According to the NHTSA, “Per vehicle miles traveled in 2019, motorcyclists were about 29 times more likely than passenger vehicle occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were 4 times more likely to be injured.”

The elevated risk factor can be tied to numerous elements, but is mostly due to the fact that motorcycles are much smaller than the average vehicle on the road. This makes them (a) less visible to drivers, and (b) more vulnerable in collisions. 

When accidents do occur, the results can be devastating. This Charleston motorcycle accident lawyer has seen it all. This includes spinal cord trauma, disc injuries, paralysis, TBIs, broken bones, nerve damage, internal organ damage, and everything in between.

Want to enjoy motorcycling without so much risk? Here are a few tips to put into practice.

• Wear the Right Gear

Motorcycle gear doesn’t just look cool – it serves a purpose! Safety is paramount, and the right gear can quite literally save your life.

It doesn’t matter how much gear you own. If you aren’t wearing it every time you hop on your bike, you’re putting yourself at risk. Always remember the old ATGATT acronym, which states All the Gear, All the Time. Here’s a list of some good gear to consider adding to your motorcycle “wardrobe.”

• Avoid Bad Weather

Bad weather does nothing but heighten the risk of being involved in an accident. Anytime there’s rain, snow, or ice, the risk of sliding around a turn increases. As a general rule of thumb, avoid bad weather. If you need to go somewhere, a standard motor vehicle is the safer option.

• Be Wary of Left Turning Vehicles

Roughly 4 out of 10 accidents involving a motorcycle and a car are caused by a vehicle making a left-hand turn in front of the motorcycle. Typically, the turning car hits the motorcycle when it’s going straight through an intersection, passing the car, and/or trying to overtake the car.

If you want to reduce your risk of being injured or killed in a motorcycle crash, there are a few things you can do:

• Always look for indicators that a vehicle is about to turn 
• Keep your eyes on a vehicle’s wheels to see if they’re moving and/or turning
• Always assume that a driver does not see you (and consider your bailout point in case the vehicle does turn)

Intersections are definitely the most dangerous part of any drive. If possible, avoid major intersections and stick to interstates and backroads. 

• Keep Your Head on a Swivel

When driving a motorcycle, you don’t have the luxury of being encased in a steel cage that can provide protection in a collision. If a vehicle strikes you, the consequences are serious. And it’s for this reason that you must always keep your head on a swivel. 

In addition to looking both ways before going through an intersection, we recommend always taking a glance behind you prior to stopping at a stop sign or red light. (Being struck from behind is fairly common.) If making a sudden stop, move to one side of the lane and rapidly flash your brake lights to draw attention to yourself.

• Perform Regular Maintenance

Don’t wait until something breaks to work on your bike. Regular preventative maintenance is a must if you want your motorcycle to run in excellent (and safe) condition. Be particularly mindful of the engine, brakes, tires, headlamps, and turn signals.

Stay Safe on Your Bike

Anytime you hop on your bike and go cruising, there’s always a risk that you could be injured or killed. (However, to be totally transparent, that same risk exists for any driver of a motor vehicle.) The key is to reduce this risk by maintaining smart habits. Once you implement some of the tips mentioned in this article, you’ll instantly feel much higher peace of mind.