Before starting with my post let me tell you how I see things…

For me, there are two kinds of motorcycle riders: the ones that have had (or will have an accident) and the ones that don’t ride. It’s like bicycling or skiing, one time or another you will go down. Sad but true…

Now, not every motorcycle accident should have serious consequences and it is my intent with this post to provide some guidance to minimize the risks and, with some luck, to help you become one of the very few motorcyclists that actually ride and don’t have accidents.

Back to my post…

A few tips to prevent motorcycle accidents

First, here are some basic things you can do to prevent motorcycle accidents and increase your safety level.

• Be responsible not only for yourself, but also for all the other motorists and drivers out there as well. Respect and follow the rules of the road.
• Make sure your motorcycle is in good working conditions
• Never forget to wear proper attire. Bare minimum: helmet, eyewear, gloves, and riding jacket.
• Never ride past the speed limit and avoid riding in adverse weather.
• Make sure that all your safety and signalization controls are within easy reach and operable in both day and night.
• Don’t drink and ride. Although drinking and driving warnings are heavily promoted to car drivers, it’s no less important to motorcycle riders. Each year, the number of motorcycle accidents gives us a new statistic to evaluate, and it almost always includes accidents that involve alcohol consumption.
• Look out for bad drivers. Car drivers aren’t always as observant on the road as they should be and as a result, their careless driving skills contribute to the current quality (and quantity) of motorcycle accident statistics that we already have. That’s why it’s so important, as a motorcycle rider, that you not only ride on the offensive, but on the defensive as well.
• Stay alert.  Beware of road hazards and traffic jams.

For a complete rundown on motorcycle safety and accident prevention check this page at the Motorcycle Safety Foundation site.

Motorcycle accidents and your skill level

The more experienced you are at motorcycle riding, the less likely it is that you’ll have an accident. Experience really is the best teacher and from this experience, you’ll understand why complying with the rules of the road is so crucial to safety. But that doesn’t mean experienced drivers are off the hook. Even the most experienced motorcycle rider can have an accident and it doesn’t seem to matter how many riding years are behind him.

New motorcycle riders who aren’t too confident in their skills should stick to paths that aren’t heavily used by major traffic. That includes busy streets and highways - two sources of heavy and dangerous traffic to the motorcycling “newbie.”

Preventing motorcycle accidents by making good choices

The only things that seem to really protect riders are things like good equipment and good choices.

For example, a good choice would be to use signal lights as a way to communicate with others on the road and indicate that you’re trying to get around them or that you’re within a close proximity. In this situation, another good choice would be to ensure these signal lights are in tip-top condition as well. Signal lights aren’t available on older bikes so riders of older models should use hand signals to communicate with other travelers.

Other good choices involve making the decision to correctly assess distances between you and other drivers — especially at night. It’s reasonable to expect that two visible headlights belong to a car, van, or truck, but what if there’s only one light visible? A single, shining headlight could belong to another motorcycle, but it could also belong to a bigger vehicle with only one working light! Maintaining a good distance between you and any vehicle regardless of what kind it is or how many working lights it has will help prevent what could be a tragic event.

It’s not that all accidents are avoidable, but then again, a good majority of them can be prevented just by following the advice herein, obeying laws, and use good ol’ common sense. By doing your part as a responsible motorcycle rider, you’ll increase your chances of keeping the roads safe for everyone and enjoy motorcycle riding for many years.

Do you have other tips or comments that can help our readers to prevent motorcycle accidents? Share them in this post.

Have a good and safe ride!

Technorati Tags: motorcycle accidents, motorcycle safety, motorcycles, motorbikes

It’s hard for some to imagine life without a motorcycle. I’m one of them. It’s also hard for some to imagine a life without children. And again - I’m one of them. In fact, I’m one of those people who’ve always seen motorcycles in the driveways of families and I’ve always been impressed by the number of motorcycle riding tots I’ve waved to. Being a life-long fan of motorcycles, it just seemed so natural - so right - and yeah - kind of cool. But you know what? Everybody doesn’t see it that way.

All the child-aged motorcycle riders I’ve spoken to seemed simply delighted to sit atop such a powerful machine and a few of them have declared that it’s much more fun than riding on a roller coaster or some other crazy carnival ride. But some people say it’s too dangerous and at times, even I have to wonder about it. Accidents do happen. But then again, accidents don’t happen. I mean accidents don’t happen ALL the time the way that certain anti-riders want us to believe. So what is the motorcycle community to do? Live in fear? Subconsciously teach our kids that motorcycles aren’t safe to ride? I don’t think so. That would only make us look like hypocrites in the eyes of curious children.

Obviously, the smart thing to do is to not only protect children on motorcycles but to protect them well. There are plenty of manufacturers who make helmets for kids and there are probably just as many that make tot-sized bikes for four and five year olds! As long as the little ones are appropriately dressed with long sleeved shirts and pants, I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking children along for a ride and for one of the most freeing experiences in the world.

Any child who can ride a regular bicycle without training wheels should be old enough to ride a motorcycle with an adult - and the lower the motorcycle, the safer. Motorcycles that ride low to the ground, like a 50 for example aren’t that fast and they’re easier for a child to get on and off of.

Of course, like I said earlier, accidents do happen. I’ve seen more than a few young teens lose control and crash their motorcycles - probably due to panic and giving their bikes the gas instead of the brakes. So it’s probably safe to say that no child under the age of 18 should be able to ride a motorcycle without proper safety equipment and parental supervision. I’m not talking about children riding motorcycles on the street - it’s illegal for children to ride a motorcycle on the street anyway. I’m talking about anywhere — even on dirt or motorcycle trails.

Even in places that are set up for children and motorcycle fun, safe equipment and parental supervision is a must because like I said, I’ve seen kids make some pretty silly (and potentially life threatening) mistakes. They need bikes that are designed for rough motorcycle trails and they need helmets that fully cover their faces. One of the most common accidents that young kids have on motorcycles is bumping their chin or mouth on the bike’s handlebars.

When kids ride a motorcycle with an adult, law dictates that the adult must be licensed to operate a motorcycle. Period. And even though kids may ride with an law-abiding, responsible, and experienced adult, they should always wear a fitting helmet and ride in the back no matter how long or short the ride is - but especially on the highway. I’m not one to dictate what someone else should do — I can only give my two cents. But I couldn’t take a young child across a long highway. I’m just not comfortable with that mostly because I know how risky it is for adults alone.

I’ve also seen some dangerous motorcycle situations created from kids riding with other kids. Aside from the extra weight that and additional person adds onto a motorcycle, nothing makes a kid want to showoff more than when another child is around and showing off is a common predecessor to accidents.

Operating and riding a motorcycle is fun. But it can be dangerous too - especially for children. As adults, we have a unique responsibility. On one hand we need to keep children safe around motorcycles, yet on the other hand we need to keep the riding experience one that children will grow to love, learn from, and respect at the same time. We want to build good motorcycle memories for our children and I believe these things can be achieved with responsible behavior, lots of experience, and loving care.

What do you think?

Post by Japanese-Motorcycles-Only.com

Technorati Tags: motorcycles, motorbikes, bikes

There’s little else more fun and exciting than riding on a motorcycle. No other vehicle can enhance a warm afternoon or the breeze of a sunny day the way that a motorcycle does. But without taking safety on a motorcycle seriously, all the fun and excitement could be gone at the instant of an accident.

The design of a car will keep drivers and passengers relatively safer than a motorcycle will because there’s nothing surrounding a motorcycle to protect us from coming into direct contact with another vehicle or even the road. That’s why motorcycle safety is so crucial.

Statistics say that most motorcycle accidents are the result of other vehicles hitting motorcycles. Most drivers look out for other drivers but they rarely look for motorcycle riders. We (motorcycle riders) need to pay just as much attention to car drivers as car drivers need to look about for motorcycles, too. Have in mind that it isn’t easy to spot motorcycle riders while driving, so motorcycle riders need to be on the defensive and anticipate sudden moves by drivers who might not be able to see us.

By the way, riders need to look for other motorcycles, too. Particularly, if you live in a city with heavy two wheel traffic or when group riding.

One thing is for sure and that is that motorcycle riders shouldn’t get into the habit of assuming they can do anything on the road. I hate it when I see people ride the streets and highways in a way that could cause an accident. Try to remember that there are a lot of stressed and nervous car drivers out on the road, with you and weaving in and out of traffic is all it takes to bring one of these nervous types to a nervous wreck - or worse - a car wreck.

Another thing that makes me uneasy is when I see riders travel on the road side by side at high speed. Yeah, it looks cool, but it’s dangerous for any number of reasons. The safest way to ride in a group or pack is plain old, boring single file.

No wheelie tricks on and no speeding in busy streets or roads. Save speeding for the race tracks and safe roads.

Proper gear is important for safety, too. I always wear eye protection, a helmet, gloves and a leather jacket when I’m out there on my own bike. Without the eye protection, you run the risk of getting a bug, dust, or other debris in your eyes and without a helmet, you run the risk of serious (read, irreparable) head injury in the event of an accident.

Wearing a good jacket and riding pants is also a good idea. They will protect your skin from sharp things flying in the air and from road rash in case you go down.

Always make sure your head and tail lights work properly (and that you have on reflective tape or clothing when you ride at night) because otherwise, you’re just asking to be hit by other vehicles.

Other motorcycle accidents are the result of unsafe road conditions, so avoid riding in heavy rain, sleet, or snow and keep an eye out for spills, sand, water, gravel, or foreign items that other people leave or dump out onto the road. We have all seen them: boards, wood pieces, car parts, trash, and even furniture. Yes, it can sometimes seem like an obstacle course, but by anticipating them, you can avoid them.

The advantages of operating a motorcycle significantly outweigh resistance to a few safety precautions so I personally don’t understand hesitation to follow these common sense tips. These minimum requirements mean that anything less is a simple recipe for disaster.

Do want to learn more about motorcycle safety check the safety section at Motorcycle-Articles.com.

Ride safely and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: motorcycle safety, motorcycles