A motorcycle can be a cool ride but it is not all that much safe. It is a smart choice to follow motorcycle safety tips to avoid dangers of accidents and serious injuries that follow. There should be a movement for motorcycle safety education and awareness efforts to spread the message to all those who share the road. 46% of all motorcycle crashes occur at the intersections. Though the statistics are shocking, they can be lowered if possible efforts are made by every member of the society who uses the road and understands the need for safe motorcycle rides.
Causes of Most Common Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle accidents can result in serious injuries and death. The statistics show how motorcycle accidents occur more than car accidents. To reduce the level of risks, the most frequent causes of accidents must be known.
Motorcycles in Head on Collisions
56% of the motor cycle accidents are caused by crashes involving motor cycles. 78% of the time the car strikes the motor cycle from the front. It is only 5% of the times that the car strikes the motorcycle from the rear. The head on collisions are fatal most of the times.
Cars Making Left Hand Turns
This type of collision accounts for 42% of all accidents. The turning car strikes the motorcycle when the motorcycle goes straight through the intersection, passes the car or tries to overtake the car. The size of the motorcycle is small and this makes it less visible to the turning vehicle.
Motorcycle Lane Splitting
This happens when the motorcycle is driven between two lanes of stopped or slowly moving cars. This usually happens in traffic jams. Lane splitting may happen due to the close proximity of the cars to the motorcycle or manoeuvring of reduced space by the motorcyclist.
Speeding Motorcyclist and Alcohol Use
Since there is not much protection to the rider of a motorcycle, crashes involving speeding and alcohol result in serious injury or even death.
Road Hazards Faced By Motorcyclist
Since the nature of the motorcycle is less stable and its size is small and there are potholes, dead animals, slick pavement conditions, uneven height between lanes or unexpected objects on the road, there are safety threats to a motorcycle ride.
Collisions
Collision between motorcycles and fixed objects and high performance motorcycles are some of the other causes.
Vital Motor Cycle Safety Tips
Installation of Caution Signs at Intersections
Warning signs should be installed for motorcycle safety. The warning signs should be standardized as well. This will help lessen the figure of motorbike crashes at T-junctions with other vehicles. Warning signs are often designed in standardized shapes by the state to establish a standardized warning device for that can be used by any local and state agency. This will help riders and motorists across the country to recognize them and follow them accordingly. Some of these are installed at dangerous intersections where there is a likelihood of inevitable crashes.
Running of Awareness Campaigns Educating People with Motorcycle Safety Tips
People can be encouraged to look for motorcyclists twice at the intersections. This way, the riders and motorists will familiarize themselves with the message on the caution signs and look for motorcyclists at intersections twice rather than once.
Identification of Dangerous Intersections for Riders
The state authorities must work in collaboration with local traffic authorities to identify dangerous traffic intersections for riders. The warning signs must be installed at the determined locations.
Basic Motorcycle Safety Tips
ü Maintenance of the bike
ü Avoiding sharing lanes at any cost
ü Knowing ones skill levels
ü Avoidance of road hazards
ü Avoidance of alcohol while riding
ü Professional training
ü Wearing helmet
ü Wearing protective clothing
Motorcycle Cleaning and Care Tips
You may have seen a beaming owner with a gleaming motorcycle in advertisements or in daily life. You have to apply certain amount of work to make your motorcycle look the same way every day. A well-laid, sensible 8 step maintenance program can do the trick for you and make your motorcycle run forever:
1. It is good to follow recommendations in the manuals. Go through the service manual to let your mechanic know all what he needs to know about your motorcycle
2. The first few miles of your motorcycle are the most crucial ones so make sure you are good to your bike at this stage. There may be limits on the number of RPM’s for the first few miles and type of oil to be used for the break-in
3. Change the oil regularly to make the grinding hard parts from grinding themselves in metal filings
4. Change the air filter so that air flow to your cylinders is not cut off and foreign abrasives that can grind away and get into your valves, internal bearings and cylinders
5. Maintain correct air pressure in your tires all the time so that they last longer otherwise they will affect everything from fuel mileage to handling
6. Grease your bearings. Test your steering stem bearings and the good way is to raise the front wheels off the ground with the stand. The wheel bearings need to be replaced immediately if you feel any play around your front or rear axles
7. Add this or that to improve performance. Try aftermarket parts as well as original ones that have good workmanship standard. Of course you can find best trailers for hauling a Harley Davidson.
8. Prepare a pre-ride checklist and look for levels of the transmission and motor oil, tire air pressures, fuel and brake fluid leaks, electrical switches and control.
