8 Safety Tips for Riders & Drivers
Motorcycle riders and vehicle drivers often have a beef with each other. Some think that cars are superior while others consider their hogs to be more elegant solutions to traffic. It doesn’t matter to which group you belong to, the truth is that we need to learn how to coexist on the road and keep everyone safe. To reduce the number of accidents and disputes, here are a few tips that can keep our roads safe both for riders and drivers.
Let’s remind the riders of some of the most important rules:
Wear a helmet
Hopefully, you already have a good helmet and wear it whenever you’re riding. It’s essential for safety on the road and your best defense against serious head injury in case you get into an accident. Not all places in the world and not all states have mandatory helmet wearing, but you should practice it regardless. Your helmet should fit well and meet all the requirements of the law.
Practice good visibility
Motorcycles are much smaller and oftentimes faster than cars, so you might be hard to spot for other traffic actors. In order to boost your visibility, you can invest in a jacket with reflective material on it and get some reflective stickers for your bike. Also, watch out for your position in traffic and ensure you’re visible to everyone around you.
Watch out for the weather
Since you only have two wheels that keep you on the road, motorcyclists are especially sensitive to changes in weather. For instance, only a light rain can wet the road enough for it to become slippery and minimize your control on the road. Before you set out to ride, check the weather conditions, dress appropriately and have a plan on what to do in case the conditions become impossible to drive in.
Get plenty of practice in the saddle
No matter if you’re a new driver or just a little bit rusty when it comes to motorcycle handing, it’s best to take some lessons before you get out on the road. Every bike is unique, so in case you switch from your old bike to something high-tech like a hyper naked motorcycle with a lot of capacity and horsepower, make sure to get some proper training. Get to know your motorcycle, pay attention to how it handles and be careful with that throttle—new models are very powerful and have a lot of take-off. Also, study all the bells and whistles of your model so you don’t have to look at the controls while you’re riding.
Now, let’s check out some lessons for the drivers:
Check your blind spots
When driving the car, make sure to always pay attention to riders around you. Since their vehicles are smaller, they are much more difficult to spot on the mirrors, so be especially careful when turning or merging, as well as when suddenly braking, in order to avoid accidents.
Be careful with left turns
While we’re on the subject of blind spots, keep in mind that left turns are especially dangerous since it’s when your blind spot become the most prominent. Also, intersections are tricky because you have to pay attention to many other things as well—upcoming cars, pedestrians and cyclists.
Slow down
Motorcycles can’t behave the same way on the road as cars, and they are more sensitive to changes in traffic, sudden braking and debris and water on the road. Bikers, however, have more mobility so drive slowly when sharing the road and give yourself plenty of time to react.
Dim your lights
Because some motorcyclists sit very low to the ground, high beams are much more blinding for them. It’s important to dim the lights when you’re passing each other on the road in the dark to achieve ultimate safety.
Of course that motorcyclists and drivers can coexist happily on the road, we just need some better training and a little more courtesy. Keep these tips in mind next time you’re heading out, no matter if you’re a car or bike enthusiast, and enjoy your journey!
