There are many reasons to love motorcycling: the freedom of the road, the Pennsylvania scenery and the wind in your hair. When you are in an accident, though, you are at significantly more risk than other drivers. How can you keep yourself safe from these devastating accidents and enjoy getting out on the road?
The risk of riding a motorcycle
Even with safety precautions, motorcycles can be dangerous to drive. Thousands of motorcyclists are injured every year in the United States, and it is estimated that motorcycle accidents are 28 times deadlier than car accidents. Motorcyclists are significantly less protected than drivers of cars, trucks and other motor vehicles, and it is essential that you keep this in mind when motorcycling.
Motorcycle safety tips
While some accidents cannot be avoided, it is important that you take precautions to keep yourself safe. These precautions can include:
- Make sure that your lights, brakes and other safety systems are fully functional.
- Be cautious at intersections.
- Take care when trees, hills or buildings block your view
- Check your blind spots
- Give yourself ample space to slow and stop
- Avoid riding at night
- Wear protective gear, such as a helmet
Most importantly, wearing a helmet could be key to keeping yourself from serious or catastrophic injuries if you are in an accident. Wearing a helmet while motorcycling could prevent about 37 percent of deaths and 67 percent of head injuries.
While riding a motorcycle can put you at serious risk in an accident, by taking care, you can help protect both yourself and the other drivers around you.
