Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Riding a motorcycle is a form of personal freedom, but can be dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 37 times more likely than car occupants to die in a traffic accident. Whether motorcycling across town or across country, use the following tips to help stay safe:
Slow Down
Give yourself more time to avert obstacles like animals, road debris, children, or pedestrians in the road. Be better prepared to stop when a teenager or drunk driver ignores a stop sign. Cornering on sandy pavement is treacherous if you’re riding too fast.
Know You Are Invisible
Assume that drivers don’t see you. In spite of the “Start Seeing Motorcycles” campaign, drivers continue to make left turns into oncoming motorcyclists. They proceed through stop signs as if you don’t exist because they don’t pay attention. Understand that drivers often fail to check their blind spots, and ride accordingly.
Look Both Ways When Crossing the Street
Even when you’ve got the right of way, and a green light, check intersecting traffic. Now, you’re prepared if the cross-traffic fails to yield.
Wear Bright Colors
Although you may look great in a black leather jacket, you’re difficult to see, especially at night. Consider reflective apparel, and at night, light up your bike like a Christmas tree.
Don’t Tailgate
Should the car ahead of you stop short, you could rear end him. Also, when you’re too close to traffic, you don’t get sufficient warning of road debris ahead. Give yourself a better chance to miss construction lumber, dead animals, mattresses, and untold junk littering the road.
Leave Yourself an Out
If you’re boxed into traffic and an SUV driver wants your lane, you’re in trouble. Unless passing, in general, stay in the right lane where you can easily pull onto the shoulder of the road.
Don’t Drink and Ride
After drinking beer, wine, or cocktails–your judgment is impaired. Don’t let alcohol trick you into a false sense of well-being. Under the influence, you are less likely to identify and avert hazards-the other drivers on the road who maim and kill motorcyclists.
Wear a Helmet
The NHTSA estimates an un-helmeted rider is 40 percent more likely to suffer a fatal head injury than a helmeted motorcyclist. Plus, helmets will protect your eyes and streamline your head. Put the odds in your favor!
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident, call Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Personal Injury Lawyers, P.A. at 1 (800) DIAL BLS. Fighting for your rights, the BLS firm has helped many cyclists over the past 25 years. Check out David Wyland’s Motorcycle Accident Survivor video at https://www.blslawyers.com. After a bad accident, “Wylie” explains how the trusted BLS law firm helped him and his family.
