Motorcycle Safety - Beyond the Basics

Did you know?
That 22 percent of riders killed in crashes are not licensed or are improperly licensed to operate a motorcycle.
When you’re attempting to control this much force, it’s essential that you have the licensing and training to be in complete control of your motorcycle.

• Know your bike’s capabilities - how it performs in a curve or on slick roads and how quickly it can stop.
• Errors like over braking, driving too fast or under cornering are major factors in many solo accidents. 
• Many insurance carriers, including Safeco, offer discounts to riders who attend the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s safe riding courses or are active in an approved group or groups that promote safe riding. Do both those things and you can reduce your premium.
• Motorists fail to see riders when they are coming out of a driveway, making a left turn in front of an oncoming rider or when the motorcycle is in the driver’s “blind spot.” 
• 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 easy to see.
•  Make a point of positioning yourself in your lane for visibility.
• Remember: Ride sober. Driving impaired is just as deadly for riders as it is for drivers. In 2009 alone, 37% of fatally injured motorcycle riders had a BAC (blood alcohol content) of at least .01 g/dL. 
• No one’s too old to wear a helmet. It’s estimated that wearing a helmet can help reduce your risk of a fatal accident by 37%.
•  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.
•  This advice applies to all riders - not just teenagers learning to ride. In fact, more than half of all riders killed in motorcycle crashes in 2009 were 40 years of age and older.

Content provided by Safeco Insurance and TWFG Insurance Tony Voiron, ever reminding to to put safety first.