Reduce Your Risk of a Motorcycle Crash: 8 Tips from a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Motorcycle accidents remain all too common, and even the safest riders can wind up in collisions. With that said, upholding a few basic safety procedures can help you reduce your risk of a crash. Discover a few tips from the motorcycle accident lawyers at Motorcycle Lawyer Pro.

Reduce Your Risk of a Motorcycle Crash: 8 Tips from a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

With spring just starting to blossom, many motorcycle enthusiasts are hitting the roads and feeling the wind in their hair. There’s a lot of joy in taking the ole’ bike out for a spin, but of course, there can also be risks. Motorcycle accidents remain all too common, and even the safest riders can wind up in collisions.

With that said, paying attention to a few basic safety procedures can help you reduce your risk of a collision. Here are a few tips from our team of motorcycle accident lawyers.

Reduce Your Risk: Our Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Weigh In

1) Slow down a little!

Part of the fun of motorcycling is getting to cruise at top speeds, but please remember: The faster you’re going, the harder it can be to react to debris or other hazards on the road. Speeding can also make it tough to spot an upcoming turn, or to know if you’re entering an intersection too quickly.

Advice from our motorcycle accident lawyers: Never go so fast that you can’t use a fixed object, like a telephone pole, to help you evaluate distance.

And slow down even further if you’re dealing with slick roads, rain, or inclement weather of any kind.

2) Look behind you, especially when you come to a stop.

One of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents: The motorcyclist stops for a crosswalk or to let an animal pass and gets rear-ended by the vehicle behind them.

If you’re coming to a stop, try getting over to the side of the road and flashing your brake light a few times. Then, take a look behind you to make sure you’re aware of any vehicles that have been riding your tail.

3) Don’t ride between active traffic and parked cars.

Our motorcycle accident lawyers say that this can be dangerous for a few different reasons:

• A driver in one of those parked cars could open their door, and you could plow into it.
• A car might pull out in front of you, and you’d have no way to avoid crashing into it.
• A pedestrian could walk out in front of you, and you’d have no way to avoid striking them.

It’s just a very bad idea to take your motorcycle out between parked cars and active traffic.

4) Don’t drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“Don’t drink and drive” is perhaps the oldest safe driving advice in the book, and it’s oft-cited for a reason. Moreover, it’s just as applicable for motorcyclists as it is for automobile drivers.

When you’re inebriated, your reaction times are slowed, and your decision-making abilities are impaired.

And if anything, drinking and driving are even more dangerous when you’re on a motorcycle than when you’re in a car, if only because operating a motorcycle requires so much balance.

There is never any reason for responsible motorcycle owners to hit the road while they’re under the influence of drugs or drinks.

5) Keep your bike well-maintained.

According to our motorcycle accident lawyers, an investment in routine vehicle maintenance is ultimately an investment in your safety. Take care of your bike and it will take care of you!

In particular, we’d recommend staying abreast of regular upkeep for these motorcycle components:

• Engine
• Tires
• Brakes
• Turn signals
• Headlamps

The last thing you want is some sort of bike malfunction when you’re in the middle of your ride. Proper maintenance can help you avoid this… and thus, potentially, avoid a crash.

6) Know how to deal with road hazards.

Motorcyclists encounter a number of common road hazards. Knowing how to effectively deal with these hazards can make all the difference between a safe ride and a terrible crash.

So what are these road hazards, exactly? There are several that are worth mentioning, including train tracks, potholes, wet pavement, or the remnants of blown-out tires.

What will you do when you encounter one of these hazards? Do you know the best braking and maneuvering strategies to avoid these obstacles without careening into traffic?

If you’re unsure or inexperienced, our motorcycle accident lawyers recommend taking a basic motorcycle safety class. There, you can hone these valuable skills.

7) Don’t share a lane with a car.

Ask any motorcycle accident lawyer and they’ll tell you that this is a bad idea.

Automobile drivers never expect to be sharing their lane with a motorcycle, and as such they’re not going to have any awareness of you whatsoever. It’s extremely likely they will try to change lanes and potentially cause an accident.

But these accidents are totally preventable if you abide by these common-sense safety measures. Again, there is just no reason why you’d ever need to share a lane with a car.

8) Stay alert at all times.

When you’re on your bike, you’ve got to be vigilant for cars that shift lanes, for hazards on the road, for pedestrians, and more.

Anything that impedes your awareness increases your risk of collision. That includes drugs and alcohol, which we talked about before. But it also includes drowsiness.

Don’t go out on your bike if you’re exhausted, or if you’ve taken a medication that makes you groggy, or if you simply haven’t had your needed morning coffee yet. Driving drowsy is always a big risk, whether you’re in a car or on a motorcycle.

Reach Out to a Skilled Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Today

By following these safety measures, you can minimize your risk of a motorcycle accident.

But again, even the safest among us can get involved in dangerous collisions. Even if you do everything right, you can’t always account for the behaviors of other drivers.

If you ever are involved in an accident, make sure you contact a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer who can represent your case.

To speak with one of our trusted motorcycle accident lawyers, we welcome you to contact Motorcycle Lawyer Pro whenever you need our assistance.

Corey Higgins

Corey Higgins has been working at Accident Lawyers’ Group for 2 years. Accident Lawyers’ Group is part of the Law Firms & Legal Services industry, and located in California, United States.

Accident Lawyers’ Group provides personal injury and accident related legal services for the entire state of California. The Group serves injury victims of numerous types of accidents such as car, truck, personal injuries, dog bites, slip and fall and more.

• Law School: Whittier Law School
• Status: In Good Standing
• Licensed: 14 years