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.
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.
There are a few key reasons motorcycles are a hazardous form of transportation.
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.
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.
Some general tips to improve the safety of being on a motorcycle include:
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.
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