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5 things motorcycle riders must remember

For the last several decades, motorcyclists have built a culture based on speed, agility and excitement. Unfortunately, riders must also endure higher risks, fewer safety measures and a greater chance of catastrophic injuries in a collision with larger vehicles on Ontario’s roads. Here are five tips that riders should keep in mind to lessen their chances of serious accidents.

  1. Blind spots: The casual, common sense advice is that riders should always assume they are invisible to the drivers of larger vehicles. Assume they can’t see you when they are merging, changing lanes or crossing an intersection. Certainly, it’s more work to follow this mindset, but you’ll stay safer on the road because of it.
  2. Drunk or drugged driving: It should go without saying that motorcyclists and drivers alike should avoid alcohol or drugs before taking the helm of a motor vehicle. Even prescription medication should be examined to see if they could cause any perceptive deficiencies.
  3. Distracted driving: While it might be more common in a car where drivers have more space to operate, riders can still fall victim to driving distractions. Eating, personal grooming, texting or manipulating an audio system can all take eyes, hands and attention off the road around you.
  4. Risky behaviour: In what might be many riders’ ultimate downfall, risky behaviour should be fairly easy to curtail. Speeding, cornering in a reckless manner, failing to follow posted speed signs, lane splitting – these actions are unsafe and generally illegal.
  5. Protective gear: In the event of an accident, riders have little to protect them outside of heavy protective gear. A helmet, heavy jacket, boots, pants and gauntlets are all that shield them from falling to and sliding along the pavement.

Motorcycle riders can suffer catastrophic injuries in an accident. Brain trauma, spinal cord damage, broken bones and road rash can lead to devastating, life-long conditions. If you or a loved one was in a motorcycle accident, it is wise that you seek the guidance of an experienced personal injury lawyer.