Motorcycles are a whole lot of fun, but they also are inherently more dangerous to drive than your standard passenger car. In an unfortunate statistic, motorcyclists are 30 times more likely to die from injuries in an accident than people in a car, according to information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

However, there are steps that you can take to increase your safety on the road, both for the benefit of yourself and other drivers. Here are some important motorcycle safety tips for you to follow:

  • Don’t speed. According to the IIHS, approximately 48 percent of all motorcycle fatalities in 2010 involved speeding. As you reach higher speeds, it becomes much easier to lose control of your bike. You also become a distraction to other drivers on the road. So resist the urge to speed — it might be fun to zip along the highway, but you significantly increase the risk of an accident.
  • Get the proper training. It never hurts to hone your skills, even after you’ve been driving for a while. Motorcycle safety courses have a lot of helpful information and training for a relatively low expense, and it’s information that you can use for as long as you plan on owning a bike.
  • Wear reflective clothing. This is especially important when you’re going to be on the road at night time. Motorcycles are smaller and harder to see than other vehicles on the road, so even though they will have reflectors on their rear, they still might not be noticed right away. If you wear reflective clothing as well, you increase your visibility and will lower the risk of having other drivers collide with you.
  • Wear a helmet. According to the IIHS, riders that do not wear a helmet while on the road are about 40 percent more likely to suffer fatal head injuries in a crash. You have nothing to gain by leaving the helmet at home.
  • Watch for hazards. Motorcycles are much more difficult to control in bad road conditions, because they have less contact with the roadway than cars. Watch for bumps, potholes, sand, ice, pebbles or anything else that might cause you difficulties on the road.

These are just a few tips that will increase your safety the next time you take your bike out on the road. Contact us today at Gaylord Popp if you have any other motorcycle safety or accident law questions.