Motorcycle Safety

It can be tough to be a motorcyclist when so many reckless car drivers are on the road. It was reported that 5,014 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2019. Because there are 8,596,314 registered motorcycles, less than 1% of motorcyclists get into crashes. This is a good statistic, but of the small percentage that get into wrecks, the injuries are very grave. However, you can make sure you take several safety measures to prevent accidents from happening to you. There are several ways you can decrease the risk of getting into a terrible motorcycle accident.

Motorcycle safety needs to be taken seriously because your life and the lives of drivers around you are at stake if anyone makes a fatal mistake. Errors made by motorcyclists are easy to prevent by following state regulations in Orange County and traffic laws. If you have any questions about motorcycle safety, you can contact Timothy J. Ryan & Associates for a consultation.

Motorcycle Safety

Motorcycles are considered particularly dangerous because motorcyclists are exposed to the road during a crash, unlike car drivers. To avoid this unfortunate outcome, you can apply additional safety measures to help protect yourself.

What percentage of motorcycle riders die?

Research shows that 14% of motorcycle deaths were caused by motor vehicles in 2019. The number of motorcyclists who die is going up over the years, not because of the increased popularity of bikes. The amount of registered motorcycles went down in comparison.

What is the most common cause of motorcycle accidents?

Motorcyclists can crash because of their own mistakes, other drivers’ errors, and the weather. These crashes could be easily prevented had the motorcyclist done more to follow safety routines.

Reckless Driving

This is one of the main reasons motorcyclists get into crashes. Car drivers often are distracted when driving, putting motorcyclists at risk of losing their lives. In addition, unsafe lane changes often occur, where the driver gets into the motorcyclist’s lane without first checking their mirrors.

Lack of Experience

Some motorcyclists simply don’t have enough experience and make rookie mistakes. They need more training and practice before they get on the road.

Lane Splitting

When motorcyclists are riding faster than the traffic around them while lane splitting, they can cause an accident by surprising the drivers ahead of them. This is because motorbikes are smaller vehicles and harder to spot at higher speeds.

Motorcycle or Car Driver Speeding

When either the car driver or motorcyclist are speeding, both can wind up colliding before they can react in time.

Alcohol Usage

Drivers who are under the influence can be charged with aggressive driving. Their inability to process information while drunk makes them at risk of causing an accident.

How can you be safe on a motorcycle?

You can stay safe by making sure you are fully licensed, have enough experience familiarizing yourself with your bike, and have the right gear. It is recommended that you wear a helmet, as they can reduce fatal deaths by 37%. Also, try to avoid bad weather and only ride your motorcycle on clear days.

You can also avoid congested traffic and only ride a motorcycle when the roads are clear. Don’t ride your motorcycle during rush hour, for example, between 4 pm to 6 pm, people tend to head home from work. Saturdays and Sundays tend to have heavy traffic throughout the latter part of the day, so you can stay home at this time. If you can, don’t ride at night when car drivers have lower visibility. This can greatly reduce your risk of getting into an accident. Also, follow all traffic laws by not speeding, yielding to traffic, and stopping at stop signs. Finally, make sure you are not drowsy from prescription medicine or lack of sleep the night before.

Where is the safest place to ride a motorcycle?

Some cities are safer to ride a motorcycle, like Visalia, California, for example. However, you can also consider riding your motorcycle in places where there is less car density. Don’t ride your motorcycle on popular highways; you can take highways that are used less often. You can also consider back roads that car drivers don’t frequent or know about. Drive on wide and open roads rather than crooked and narrow side streets.

Motorcycle Safety is Important

The more you pay attention to your personal safety, the more likely you are to never get into an accident. You can learn more methods on how to avoid getting into one. Contact Timothy J. Ryan & Associates for more information.