Be Safe when Riding a Motorcycle
Driving a motorcycle could be very dangerous sometimes. Being inside a car during a crash is not the same as riding a motorcycle during a crash because motorcycles have no doors, seatbelts, or airbags, which puts you in a lot more danger than a driver inside a car, truck, or a bus. However, we can take appropriate measures to keep ourselves and the other road users surrounding us to remain safe and sound. All of us want to get home without any injury. This article is a guide to help you, your passenger, and the drivers around you secured and decrease your chance of getting into a crash.
Contents
Steps
- Wear a helmet. Because motorcycles do not have airbags or seat belts, helmets were designed to substitute them for your safety. Wearing a helmet is like wearing a seat belt. The Center for Disease and Control (CDC) found that wearing a helmet helps decrease your chances of dying by 37%, and preventing severe head injury by 69%. By wearing a helmet, you are putting yourself much safer and more likely to survive a crash than motorcyclists without helmets. In 2016, helmets have saved over 1,859 lives.[1]
- Do not do any tricks (wheelies, stoppies, etc.). Riding a motorcycle is not the same as riding as a bicycle. The main difference is obviously the speed. Bicycles move a lot slower than motorcycles because they are not motor vehicles. However, refrain from doing any tricks with a motorcycle because you're likely going to get hurt.
- Don't do sharp turns. If you do a sharp turn, it will increase your chance of falling off, plus, the motorcycle will fall.
- Always stop at stop signs and other signs associated with them to look both ways. If you don't look both ways, you have good chances of getting run over.
Tips
- Always ride the same speed as the traffic around you. Ride too fast, and you could hit someone. Ride too slow, and someone could tailgate you and hit you when you stop.
Warnings
- Motorcycles are dangerous, and riding without safety gear is strongly not recommended.
- Don't be dangerous on motorcycles just because your friends are.
