Motorcycle Safety Tips, Part 2

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Cook County personal injury lawyer

Motorcycles are very dangerous vehicles because in the event of a crash, there is nothing to protect the passengers from hitting the other vehicle, the road, or any other objects in the area. That’s why Discovery News’s Meghan O’Neill has shared safety tips with readers to stay safe as the weather warms up and people pull their bikes out of the garage.

Here are the last five tips, continuing from a previous post about motorcycle safety:

1. Leave enough space. Even though motorcycles are much smaller and lighter and they need less space to come to a stop than cars, they still need quite a bit of space to remain safe. It is better to leave too much space than not enough, so brake early. Many bikes also do not have anti-lock brakes, so slamming on the brakes is not an option on many motorcycles like it would be in a car.
2. Watch the weather. With little to no protection from the elements on a motorcycle, it is much more dangerous to ride one than it is to drive a car in bad weather. Your visibility is minimal as you try to keep the rain out of your eyes and cleared from your helmet. You have much less traction as well with only two wheels that are smaller than car wheels, and the rain can hurt your skin when traveling at high speeds. Plan ahead so you don’t get caught in bad weather with your motorcycle, but if you do, wait as long as you can after the rain starts. You might get lucky and the rain will stop.
3. Educate your passengers. Make sure anyone who rides with you is prepared with the right equipment; he or she should have sturdy shoes and protective clothing. It is also a good idea to practice riding with a passenger so you are used to the extra weight and you are not distracted with another person on your bike. Children may also need to be older than a certain age to ride on a motorcycle.
4. Look twice. This tip is for other drivers on the road with motorcyclists. Motorcycles are small and sometimes hard to spot, so double check before lane changes and other movements in which you could hit a motorcyclist. In addition, motorcyle riders should be aware that they are small and hard to see and should not try to squeeze through or put themselves in a situation where another driver may not see them and cause a crash. Even if the crash is a car’s fault, the motorcycle rider will be the one most severely injured.
5. Wear a helmet. Head injuries can lead to death or very serious impairment for anyone, so if someone flies off of their motorcycle and crashes head-first into a concrete road, nothing good will come out of the head injury. A helmet can protect your head and brain. Don’t just wear any helmet though, look for one approved by the Department of Transportation. Once you have a helmet, check the fit and and be sure it does not obstruct your vision.

Follow these tips to stay safe on your motorcycle in the upcoming warm months and all to follow. If you find yourself injured from a motorcycle accident, though, contact personal injury attorneys with Attorney at Law, Khaled Issa for assistance on your motorcycle injury court case in Illinois.