How to Safely Ride a Motorcycle

More and more Americans are trying to lower the number of trips to the gas stations they take. As prices increase, people are looking for less expensive ways to get from one place to another. Motorcycles and scooters are great alternatives and typically get many more miles per gallon of gas. While motorcycles are cheaper and, well, quite frankly, a lot more fun to drive, they are also much less safe. There are no seat belts, air bags or roll cages to protect a rider and passenger in an accident. Take the following steps to reduce the potential for injury in a motorcycle crash.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. If you are new to riding, take a rider safety course. It is estimated that 92 percent of the riders who are involved in accidents have no formal training and very little experience. The courses teach basics such as motorcycle maintenance, shifting gears, road rules, braking and crash avoidance techniques. Many states allow you to show proof of completion of one of these courses to waive the required road skills test. Check your state laws to see if this is possible. Even if you cannot waive the test, these classes are still very valuable.
2. Wear eye protection. 73 percent of the riders involved in accidents in 2006 were wearing no form of eye protection. There can be a lot of wind blowing into the face of a biker, even at slow speeds and with a windshield. There are also a lot of different items that can be carried by the wind, such as road debris and bugs. If any of these things make your eyes water, you could be in serious trouble. A rider usually has less than two second to see an obstacle, figure out how to avoid it and take the appropriate action. If he or she cannot see clearly, that time may be shortened even more. Always be aware of what your state law requires for eye protection.
3. Wear a helmet. The laws regarding helmets vary from state to state. Many riders are allowed to choose whether to wear a helmet or not. While I believe that this should be a rider’s choice, I also realize that a helmet is a good idea. There were 1,658 lives saved by helmets in 2006. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that another 752 lives could have been saved with the use of head protection.
4. Always obey speed limits and other traffic laws. One out of every four motorcycle accidents involve just the bike. In most of these cases, a biker enters a curve or tries to take a corner going too fast. If you fall while going too fast, the injuries will be pretty severe, and the same is true if you leave the roadway because you missed the curve.
5. Always keep your mind and eyes on the road. The other three out for accidents involve another auto of some type. In most of these accidents, the driver of the other car did not see the motorcycle until it was too late. A biker must always be aware of what other drivers are doing and be prepared to act defensively.

Tips & Warnings

• Other safety gear, such as gloves, boots and leather coats, will also help you take less injury in a bike wreck. You may even want to check with your insurance company to see if they cover replacements if they are destroyed.
• Laws vary from state to state. If you are traveling outside of the state you received you license in, you may want to research the laws of the states you will be traveling through.