Stay Safe On Your Motorcycle
Brian O Sutter
Motorcycle Crash
Every day seems to bring news of another dangerous collision or serious accident involving a motorcycle on Florida’s roads. On August 18, a motorcycle and a semi-truck got in an accident on the Florida Turnpike, and you can guess which driver made it out okay and which one didn’t make it out at all. After all, car and truck drivers get the safety of sitting in a giant cage engineered to keep them alive, while all motorcyclists get is a pair of wheels, a set of safety lights, and a (frequently optional) helmet.So if you find yourself out on Florida’s roads on a chopper, a cruiser, a touring bike, or any other kind of motorcycle, remember to stay safe out there and remember these tips so you don’t have to rely on drivers seeing motorcycles.
• Only ride with people you can trust. If you decide to ride your bike in a group, you need to know that you can trust the other people in that group. If one rider likes to mess around or try dangerous stunts, it can put everyone in the group at risk. And even if you do trust your fellow riders, remember to keep a safe distance from the others and don’t be afraid to slow down if they’re going faster than you’d like
• Use the right gloves. On a motorcycle, gloves aren’t just a fashion accessory, they protect the part of the body that does most of the interacting with your vehicle’s controls. You could say the same thing about hands in a car, of course, but in a car you get the protection of a closed cabin or at least a windscreen. On a bike, your gloves are often the only protection between your hands and the elements, so make sure you choose a pair that will keep them safe from gravel and warm without being too thick to use the controls.
• Wear visible colors. It’s harder to see motorcycles when the bike and the rider are both covered in blacks and browns, especially at night. Adding some reflective tape to your jacket, pants, or bike might not improve its looks, but it’ll definitely make you more obvious to other drivers.
• Leave room between yourself and other vehicles. This is another tip that applies to every driver, but there’s more to it for bikers. If a motorcycle ever gets in a collision with another vehicle, the other vehicle will win, so keep your distance from cars, trucks, and semis in particular. When you come to a traffic stop, leave some room ahead for an escape route in case the vehicles behind you don’t look like they’re stopping fast enough.
• Wear your helmet! It’s not a popular suggestion among many bikers, but a modern motorcycle helmet can save your life and prevent or reduce traumatic brain injuries. Whether or not the law says you have to, wearing a helmet is one of the best ways you can improve your safety as a biker on the road.
Finally, if you should find yourself involved in a motorcycle accident, in southwest Florida, you should contact the All Injuries Law Firm for your legal representation needs. We often have clients who are dealing with traffic collisions and motorcycle accidents, and all too often they have trouble getting their full claim from the insurance companies. However, just having us present can often increase the size of your settlement, so consider contacting us for a free initial case review right away.