Motorcycle Safety

Volume 4 Issue 43

June 2005

Those were the images of the motorcycle rider of the past.  Today's rider is likely an older professional who is interested in getting to work or home rather than racing fellow bikers. The age of the average US motorcycle buyer rose from 25 to 39 over the past 10 years. The typical California motorcycle buyer is a 42-year-old male white collar worker with an income of $67,000.

Here are some of the safety rules you should be following.  The most important thing any biker can do to avoid death or injury is buy and use a helmet.  Why?

Helmets save lives. General Accounting Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, studies found that helmeted riders have up to a 73% lower fatality rate than unhelmeted riders. The GAO studies also found that helmeted riders have up to an 85% reduced incidence of severe, serious, and critical injuries than unhelmeted riders.

What should a good helmet do for you?

A good helmet protects your head by giving your skull and brain a little time to match speeds with suddenly encountered objects.

The hard outer shell distributes the force of a blow and prevents objects from piercing the skull.

The liner is made of crushable material that limits the forces that an impact applies to your head. During an impact, your head actually crushes the liner. Your brain thereby gains a little extra time and distance to slow down. As the liner is crushed, it applies sufficient force to slow your head to a relatively gentle stop rather than the potentially lethal levels of force your head would sustain without a helmet.

A good helmet will do all this without reducing your ability to hear or to have adequate side vision.  To ensure a comfortable, snug fit, your helmet may be lined on the inside with soft foam and cloth or comfort padding.

The chin strap is also very important. In the event of a crash, it is the one piece that will keep the helmet on your head so that you remain protected. It must be strong, comfortable to wear and well-fitting. Make sure that it is buckled securely and snugly at all times.  Do not skimp on a helmet as your life depends upon it.

Here are some other motorcycle safety rules to keep you alive and uninjured.

Be alert and ready.

If you are angry or preoccupied by something, taking your bike out is a bad idea. In an aggravated or distracted state you are much more likely to be involved in a crash or do something foolish. A proper attitude will make you safer. Put your worries in your saddlebags and focus on riding the bike. Limbering up mentally, by taking time to focus on the task ahead, visualizing your route, and being ready for trouble spots, is a great way to prepare to ride.

Of course, drugs and alcohol should be avoided at all costs. Alcohol affects your judgment, reaction time, and balance, among other things. Loss of your control over these things can easily mean your bike will soon be lying on its side and dripping important fluids. You may even get a ride in the back of a squad car. Even simple cold and allergy medications can seriously impair your riding, making you sleepy or sluggish. Do not drive when you have been drinking or are taking prescription or recreational drugs.

And, stay healthy.

Well-balanced meals, plenty of water, and minimal amounts of fatty food and caffeine lend themselves to safe riding. Physical fitness will help your riding in countless ways including better and sharper reflexes.

Now that you are ready for the road, make sure your motorcycle is too.

Getting your motorcycle ready for the road starts with regular maintenance but does not end there.
Do not only fix the parts that break, but do all the preventive maintenance. Regular oil changes, properly adjusted controls, a properly adjusted chain and suspension, good tires and working turn signals are just some of the things you should regularly be checking and doing for your cycle.

Before each ride, do a quick walk around of your bike. Look for leaks, loose bolts, tire problems, or any thing else out of place. Check your tire condition and pressure as your tires are your only link to the road. A good link to the road is a key to staying alive and uninjured.

While driving, pay constant attention to what is happening around you. Being aware of what is in your immediate space will always help you guide your ride safely. Failure to be aware of your position in relation to those around you can cause dire consequences when faced with the need to make a quick lane change. Other vehicles have a nasty habit of sneaking in to places you can't see them, like the blind spots over your shoulders.

This should be a no brainer but few drivers follow the rule. When your line of sight or path of travel becomes restricted, reduce your speed and use great care. Rain and fog are examples of situations where less speed = more reaction time = safer riding. Curvy forest or mountain roads are fun, but because their sightlines are shorter, you need to reduce your speed to be prepared for surprises like deer, big rocks, and large filthy vehicles straddling the centerline.

Of course, before slowing down, check your rearview mirrors. A quick look into your rearview mirrors will give you an idea of what traffic is doing behind you. The habit to acquire is to check your mirrors every five to seven seconds, and also any time you roll off the throttle. Combine that with gentle application of both brakes and rarely will a stop be anything more than routine.

Of course, an emergency stop is an exception to this rule. When you have to do a quick or emergency stop your priority is in front of you, but once that is taken care of it is doubly important to check your backside in case the driver following you was caught off guard by your sudden stop.

And, before proceeding through any intersection, check left, check front, check right, then check left again. As you enter an intersection, whether turning or proceeding through, you need to know what your hazards are and where they can come from.

The highest priority is to check your left. Why left? The left is the highest priority because that is the lane of traffic you first cross and therefore would be the first to impact you. After the left you continue to check the intersection in a clockwise pattern. So next is the front because the vehicle coming toward you is a threat if it turns left in front of you. It is worthwhile to note the bulk (77%) of two-vehicle motorcycle crashes occur from impacts coming from this direction. Then you check to the right. If slowing or turning, you check behind you then back around to the left again. You check the left twice because in the time it takes to check all other directions, the situation has probably changed to the left.

Drive your motorcycle safely.
Your life depends on it.

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