5 Important Defensive Riding Tips for Motorcyclists

5 Important Defensive Riding Tips for Motorcyclists

Did you know that a typical motorcycle accident allows the rider less than two seconds to react in order to avoid a collision? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveals that the following strategies and procedures can help prevent motorcycle accidents. If you enjoy riding, make sure to keep these in mind.
 

• Keep your motorcycle properly maintained.

Make sure you have enough gas to get you to your destination. Ensure that your tires have been inflated to the proper pressure and that all fluids have been checked and topped off.
 

• Always wear the proper clothing and protective gear.

In order to protect your skin from road rash due to contact with the pavement, you should always wear the proper protective gear. Goggles (or other kind of eyewear), boots, gloves, and leather pants or jeans will help protect you. Always wear a helmet.
 

• Always be confident and assertive when riding.

Being confident and assertive is different than being aggressive or timid. A smart, defensive rider will follow the rules of the road. Keeping safe distances between you and the cars around you will allow you to react in time to safely avoid an accident.
 

• Choose to be seen and heard.

Motorcycles that are painted in brighter colors and have a lot of chrome are more visible to a car or truck driver. Louder bikes are more often heard by drivers than quieter bikes, but bikes that are too loud can have a startling effect on drivers, which could also cause an accident.
 

• Be careful when approaching turns and curves.

Typical rider errors when navigating turns and curves are over-braking, running wide due to too much speed, and under-cornering. When looking at single-bike accidents, the rider was in error about two-thirds of the time. Remember to take turns slowly.
 
These are just a few of the things to be aware of while navigating the highways and country roads in and around Atlanta. Even when you practice safe riding strategies, you can still end up a victim in a motorcycle accident. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact our personal injury attorneys to discuss your potential case.