Motorcycle safety: Control what you can
June 21, 2018
When you’re riding your motorcycle, there are a lot of things you can’t control. It would be easy to think that your safety is out of your hands entirely. Fortunately, that’s not true. There are specific things you can do to ensure that your next ride – and every one after – is as safe as possible.
You can’t control what fellow motorists do. Preliminary numbers show that of the 20 fatal motorcycle crashes so far in 2018, eight included another vehicle. But you can make a crash with another vehicle less likely by wearing brightly colored protective gear. The bright colors will make you more visible to other drivers, and the material will help protect you from road rash if you do crash.
And speaking of crashing, 16 of the 21 riders killed so far this year were not wearing a helmet. Wearing a DOT-approved helmet ratchets up your chances of surviving a crash. Think of it as the motorcycle version of a seatbelt. Wearing one vastly increases your chances of surviving a crash. You wouldn’t ride in a car without clicking it, would you? Then why would you get on your motorcycle without protective gear that could save your life or prevent serious injury?
Because your fellow motorists can be unpredictable despite your protective gear, it’s important to stay vigilant. Protect yourself against inattentive drivers by staying focused on your riding, maintaining a 2-second following distance, and keeping your speed in check. And never drink and ride – you need your wits about you when you’re on your bike.
You also can’t control the shape of the road. Curves are inevitable, and 10 of this year’s fatal motorcycle crashes occurred when the rider was negotiating a curve. But you can get better at curves – and anything else the road may throw at you – by taking a rider training course. And don’t fool yourself into thinking these courses are for beginners only. Now through September, training locations around Minnesota have courses available for beginner through expert riders.
True, you can’t control everything. But you can control what you wear, your skill set, and your judgment. If you keep all of those in top shape, you’ll have a much better chance of surviving a motorcycle crash – or avoiding one altogether. And that will make riding your motorcycle a lot more fun.
