All posts tagged motorcycle safety

Motorcycle Safety: Tips To Help You Stay Safe On The Road And Avoid Disaster

by Anita Ginsburg on 2014/07/25 in Motorcycles with Comments Off on Motorcycle Safety: Tips To Help You Stay Safe On The Road And Avoid Disaster

When you are on the road riding a motorcycle, you are at a disadvantage against other motorized vehicles such as cars and trucks. Safety should be your number one priority when driving your motorcycle to avoid accidents that could potentially be fatal. With these few motorcycle safety tips, you can be a step ahead when it comes to safety.

Buy The Proper Motorcycle Clothing

When riding a motorcycle, it is essential to have all the proper gear. A motorcycle offers no protection during a crash, so flip flops and shorts are not proper attire to be riding a motorcycle. Leather clothing can help protect motorcycle drivers in the case that their bike were to lay down and slide. Leather is a strong material that can help protect riders from road rash, bugs, cigarette butts and even small rocks.

Wear The Proper Shoes

The proper shoes for riding a motorcycle are sturdy shoes. To change gears on a motorcycle, the driver must pull up on the lever, which requires closed toe shoes. Soles on shoes should not be smooth because it makes it very easy to slip off the pegs on the motorcycle or to slip when coming to a stop and stabilizing the bike. The shoes should also be weather-proof in case you get stuck in a rainstorm.

Avoid Unnecessary Distractions

Any type of distracted driving is bad, but on a motorcycle it can be fatal. It is important to stay very aware of all of your surroundings when riding a motorcycle. Since motorcycles are difficult for some drivers of bigger vehicles to see, you must proactively be aware of these vehicles and stay out of their way to stay safe. While driving a motorcycle, your hands must also always stay on the handlebars to ensure proper balance and maneuvering.

Be Weather Aware

Motorcycles are a bit more unstable than a car in generally dry conditions, and wet weather can greatly increase the instability of the motorcycle. You should stay weather aware and avoid riding in heavy rain, ice or snow.

Get Advanced Motorcycle Training

Getting more advanced motorcycle training can help protect yourself and others from accidents on the roadway. A driving school can help everyone from beginners to advanced riders improve their techniques and skills while on their motorcycle, say the experts at Valley Driving School. Driving schools are able to train and assess a driver’s skills to ensure proper knowledge before getting on the road.

Always Wear A Helmet

Helmets protect motorcycle driver’s heads in any type of accident. Head injuries are the leading cause of death when it comes to motorcycle accidents, so it is that much more important to wear the proper motorcycle helmet anytime you are riding your motorcycle. The helmet should not fit too tightly or too loosely, and it should never obstruct your vision.

Motorcycle safety is easy when tips such as these are taken into consideration each and every time you ride your motorcycle. Any time you are on your motorcycle, you should strive to always put safety first.

Drive A Motorcycle? 5 Things You’ll Want To Remember Before You Saddle Up

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/06/27 in Motorcycles with Comments Off on Drive A Motorcycle? 5 Things You’ll Want To Remember Before You Saddle Up

Some people simply cannot resist the sheer thrill of riding a motorcycle. However, a motorcycle is a powerful machine that must be respected at all times. If you do not take the necessary precautions, you are at risk of being seriously injured. Here are four things you’ll want to remember before saddling up.

Never assume that a motorist sees you

Never make the mistake of assuming that a driver sees your bike. Even if you keep your headlights on and use the proper hand signals, there is no guarantee that the other motorists will notice the presence of your bike. The small stature of a motorcycle can easily become camouflaged in a driver’s blind-spot. Before attempting to pass a vehicle on the road, always look twice to check your surroundings.

Practice makes perfect

While confidence is always a good trait to have, being overconfident on a motorcycle could cause you to lose your life. It is always a good idea to take a training course prior to purchasing a motorcycle. These training courses are taught by experts who have years of motorcycle riding experience. Even if you have experience in riding dirt bikes, riding a motorcycle on the road is a totally different ball game. The best part is that the training program provides all of the essentials including the bike, helmet, and riding gear.

Find a good motorcycle accident attorney

When it comes to riding a motorcycle, it is always best to err on the side of caution. In the unfortunate event that you are involved in a collision, you may need to file an insurance claim. Insurance companies are often difficult to deal with, it certainly helps to have a knowledgeable motorcycle attorney in your corner. A motorcycle attorney’s primary goal is to make sure that you are fairly compensated.

All motorcycles are not created the same

Aside from obtaining the proper training, choosing a motorcycle is the most important aspect of motorcycling. The size and performance of a motorcycle can vary greatly from one model to the next. A high-powered sport bike is definitely not appropriate for a newbie. If you are a first-timer, you may want to consider the purchase of a used bike. Ideally, you should select a bike that suits your body type.

Choose the right gear

All too often you hear about someone being killed on a motorcycle because they weren’t wearing a helmet. Some type of helmet is better than no helmet, but there is definitely a difference between a helmet you spend 20 dollars on, and one you spend 100 dollars on. Read the reviews, talk to someone who knows motorcycle gear well, and make sure you’re prepared for the worst. Some motorcyclists choose to wear protective jackets, pants etc… There are lots of things out there that can make your new hobby more enjoyable.

Owning a motorcycle can be a very gratifying experience if you put your safety first. Save the high-speed maneuvers and dangerous stunts for the professionals.

Motorcycle or Car – Which One Is Really Safer?

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/05/23 in On the Road with Comments Off on Motorcycle or Car – Which One Is Really Safer?

When compared to motorcycles, the safety of cars has been hard to argue with over the years. A large number of features and protective gear are found in cars. Because of the demand for cheap transportation and the nostalgia for the open road, experienced motorcyclists have challenged the perceptions of safety issues. Important changes suggest that the safety of motorcycle riding can be managed. This has made the use of motorcycles a real option for many people.

Motorcyclists can point to many tactics that allow riders to get out of tough spots quickly. A motorcycle is only a fraction of the size of cars and the small size lends it a real advantage in traffic. Motorcyclists skirt lanes, jump curbs and otherwise speed out of the path of accidents long before they happen.

The driver’s awareness increases on a motorcycle, and motorcyclists take care of the business of driving better than motorists. Motorcyclists see everything while in traffic. They read other drivers and they don’t rely on rules of the road to save them. They take care to communicate with other vehicles and are more cautious moving in and out of lanes.

The public campaign to start seeing motorcycles has produced dividends in safety. Motorists’ growing awareness of motorcycles has contributed to fewer accidents. In addition, operating lights increase visibility, and though it annoys the public, increasing the noise the exhaust augments “visibility.” For the defensive driver, these benefits help make motorcycles safe.

The only drawback for the motorcyclist – and it is significant — is that motorcyclists are exposed to more harm than motorists are. Motorcycles offer virtually no barriers during collisions. There are no side panels, air bags, seat-belts, bumpers or engine bulk to protect a motorcyclist. By contrast, motorcyclists have helmets but not much else.

While automobile accidents result in injuries to the occupants 20 percent of the time, an accident on a motorcycle usually results in personal injury to a driver, a rider or both, according to sources. Ninety-five percent of accidents involving motorcycles leave the rider injured. If you happen to be involved in a motorcycle accident, you’ll want to get in touch with lawyer to help you get a fair settlement for your injury.

If a rider believes an accident is likely in the future, the motorcycle is not the vehicle to use. If a motorcyclist believes driving defensively will make life accident-free, then a motorcycle is the safest vehicle. To many, It’s a matter of perception. Looking at the odds, you would have to give the nod to the car, it’s the safer vehicle, but the argument for motorcycle safety continues to gain ground.

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