With the snow melting and the temperatures rising it must mean that motorcycle season will be upon soon. For all of those motorcyle enthusiasts out there this must have seemed like the longest winter in a long time. After several months of hibernation it’s easy to forget sound motorcycle safety habits. This article on motorcycle safety tips is taken from one of our carrier partners, Safeco Insurance.
Motorcycle Safety Tips
Be Prepared. Be Protected.
You’re no kid and that’s no 10-speed. To stay safe, you need complete command of your motorcycle and the best safety gear you can get. Next time you’re heading for the highway, keep in mind these helpful motorcycle safety tips.
Use Safety Gear
Your Safeco motorcycle insurance policy covers up to $3,000 in custom parts and equipment Any time you buy new leathers or safety equipment or customize your bike, contact your local Safeco agent so we can update your limits.
Wear a Helmet
A motorcycle rider not wearing a helmet is 40 percent more likely to sustain a fatal head injury in a crash than a rider without a helmet.* A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study reports that “helmets saved 1,483 motorcyclists’ lives in 2009, and that 732 more could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets.”* Buy a full-face helmet for the best protection for your head and eyes. Wear other protective gear as well: heavy leather or synthetic gloves, long pants and jacket, and over-the-ankle leather boots.
Be Visible
In a crash, the SUV wins. When cars and motorcycles collide, it’s usually because the driver of the car failed to see the cyclist. With more SUVs on the road, it’s even more critical to take extra steps to become more visible. Use your headlamps—both night and day—and wear yellow, red or orange jackets to make yourself easier to see. Make a point of positioning yourself in your lane for visibility.
Take a Safe Riding Course
One out of four motorcycle drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 were driving with invalid licenses.* More than 90 percent of riders involved in accidents haven’t taken a formal motorcycle driving course. Get to know your bikes capabilities, like how it performs on a curve or slick roads, and you’ll become a much safer rider. Errors like over-braking, driving too fast and under-cornering are major factors in most solo mishaps.
Safeco offers discounts to riders who attend a Motorcycle Safety Foundation safe riding course or are active in one of 24 approved groups that promote safe riding. Do both and you could save up to 15 percent.
Ride Sober
Driving impaired is more deadly for cyclers than other drivers. In fact, more than half of all motorcycle deaths occur when the rider has been drinking.
Now get out there and enjoy the open road.
* Source: NHTSA’s 2009 Traffic Safety report on Motorcycle