Motorcycles are dangerous. That’s a fact that isn’t deniable. People love riding them, however, so, despite the serious risks, they continue to be a popular pastime for many.
Motorcycles do have benefits that come with riding.
For a lot of people, it’s a way to de-stress and blow off steam. You might use it as a social opportunity if your friends also ride. It’s a great way to see different parts of the country, and riding a motorcycle can make your commute and parking more manageable if you’re in an urban area.
While there are benefits, as a responsible rider, you have to be honest with yourself about the risks of being on a motorcycle.
When you’re honest with yourself about these risks, it makes you a more aware, defensive, and proactive driver, all of which can help you stay safer.
The following are the things any rider should know about motorcycle risks and safety and what you can do to help lower the potential dangers.
What Do the Numbers Say?
According to the National Highway Traffic Association, motorcycle riders are over-represented in deadly crashes. More than 5,000 motorcyclists died in 2019. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that if you’re on a motorcycle, you’re 28 times more likely to die in an accident than someone in a car.
Motorcyclists make up around 14% of crash-related fatalities, despite being only 3% of vehicles on roadways. Over 80% of accidents involving a motorcycle lead to an injury or death.
More than half of deadly crashes involve a collision between a motorcycle and a vehicle, whether that’s a car or a truck. Around 76% of these accidents include a car or truck hitting a motorcycle head-on. Rear-end accidents are much less common.
An estimated 42% of deadly motorcycle-car collisions involve the vehicle turning left while the motorcycle is attempting to go straight or passing or overtaking a vehicle.
Why Are Motorcycles So Dangerous?
There are a few key reasons motorcycles are a hazardous form of transportation.
- They’re more vulnerable to the conditions of the road, which may be poor. For example, something that for a vehicle wouldn’t be a big deal, like debris, potholes, or uneven surfaces, can end up being deadly for someone on a motorcycle.
- Motorcycles are small and therefore hard to see by other drivers.
- If you are in an accident, your injuries on a motorcycle are likely to be more severe than if you were in a vehicle because you simply don’t have protection or safety equipment.
- Since they have a two-wheel design, motorcycles don’t have a lot of stability. They’re difficult to control, especially when cornering or braking.
- There’s a tendency of motorcycles to encourage risky behavior, like rapid acceleration.
- They require training and skill to drive, and you have to give them your full attention at all times.
Some people will say that a motorcycle is as safe as the person who’s operating it. This has some truth to it in that you can make your experience safer by what you do as a driver. At the same time, motorcycles do have an inherent risk that you can’t avoid, and you have to be aware before you ride.
Change Your Mindset
If you’re going to be safer on a motorcycle, the first thing you need to do is change your mindset and perhaps recognize if there are elements of your personality that will make you a risky operator.
For example, do you lack self-discipline?
If so, this is something you need to work on or possibly avoid driving a motorcycle.
You need to be self-disciplined to learn the proper techniques for operating a motorcycle. It’s a skill set requiring patience and some repetition. You need to be dedicated to learning the correct way to do things.
If you’re a know-it-all, that’s likely going to make your motorcycle experience more dangerous too. Safe riders are constantly learning.
Other Motorcycle Safety Tips
Some general tips to improve the safety of being on a motorcycle include:
- Learn to be a low-risk, responsible driver. Again, you can’t prevent every potentially dangerous situation, but if you’re a mindful, responsible driver, you’re going to help yourself. Obey all traffic laws, speed limits, and signs. Make sure you’re riding with the flow of traffic, and leave plenty of space between your bike and other vehicles. Be a defensive rider, and be cautious when you’re at intersections. Yield when necessary, and always ride thinking that other drivers can’t see you.
- Never use drugs or alcohol. They affect your coordination, balance, judgment, throttle control, and how well you can shift gears. Even a tiny amount of alcohol can negatively affect your reaction time and alertness. You need to be fully alert and always striving to predict what other people on the road and pedestrians will do next. That’s what defensive driving is all about.
- Take a safety course if you haven’t already. You need to learn the right way to do things, no matter how much experience you feel like you have.
- Never get on a motorcycle without proper gear. Your gear is going to protect you from head injuries, the elements, road rash, and debris. The appropriate equipment includes goggles, a helmet approved by the DOT, goggles, leather pants or chaps, boots, and non-slip gloves.
- Inspect your motorcycle before you ride it, every time. Check all your components to make sure they’re in good working order.
- Make yourself as visible as possible. You can wear bright or reflective clothing, drive with your headlights on when appropriate, and you should use your turn signal and hand signals.
You might want to consider an advanced riding course once you’ve taken introductory courses. You can practice your current skills and build on those. Advanced riding course will teach turning, control, braking, and avoidance moves which can significantly improve your safety experience on a motorcycle.
So, are motorcycles safe? No, they’ll always have some level of risk, but you can do things to mitigate that risk.
