Traffic Safety:

Motorcycle Safety

The best method to create a safety plan or to do anything safely is to recognize the possible dangers.

So the first thing to do is find out what causes most accidents on a motorcycle.

Reasons for accidents:

• Basic lack of riding skills
• Not knowing the vehicles and operators limitations
• Not riding defensively
• Speeding
• Improper size for rider

As everyday is different so is your riding experience.  Always be on the lookout for potential hazards.  Many of them you control.

Riding Safely:

• Don't tailgate!
• Avoid sharing lanes in extremely slow traffic .
• Use proper gear like helmets, and eye protection.
• Drive defensively.
• Keep your bike well tuned, and quite.  You may enjoy waking up your neighbors with your Harley, but you are  taking away an important resource, your hearing.
• Do not speed, and assume you are invisible to other drivers.
• Keep tires properly inflated.
• Don't drink and ride!

I never owned a motorcycle so riders input is welcome and encouraged.  As a cyclist I know one thing for sure though, and that is to drive like no one can see you.  I have heard of too many accidents where auto drivers just pull right in front of motorcycles who have the right away giving them no time to react.  They don't see you.

Motorcycle Statistics for 2004.  NHTSA Information