With summer upon us, it’s important to understand how to keep safe on the road. Summer is known for an increase in accidents, especially for those on motorcycles. With that in mind, there are some tips to help keep you safe on the road this summer.
Become Comfortable With Your Bike
Whether you recently purchased or have been off the iron horse for a while, it’s important to become comfortable riding your bike again before taking to the highways. Take your time to adjust in residential areas, where the speed limits are lower and there is less traffic.
Anti-Lock Brakes Are a Must
As most of you who ride bikes regularly know, we are often overlooked by other vehicles on the road, mainly cars. Because of this, we often find ourselves having to slam on our brakes to adjust to traffic. Anti-lock brakes will help reduce the damage done in an accident by as much as 37 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Dress For Safety
With the hot weather, it can be tempting to take off your leathers and put on something more breathable. While this may seem like a good idea, we wear protective gear for a reason—to protect ourselves in the event of an accident.
Be sure to wear proper safety gear, including:
A helmet
Long sleeves (preferably leather), pants, gloves, and proper shoes (boots are best)
Use the S.E.E. Strategy
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation developed a way of keeping motorcyclists safe out on the road this summer. This strategy is known as Search, Evaluate, and Execute, or SEE. This system was built to train motorcyclists to give themselves more time to react to obstacles in the road and to allow for safer driving.
Some general guidelines of S.E.E. include:
Making yourself present in the lane you reside
Give plenty of time ahead before switching lanes
Avoid lane-splitting as much as possible, if not completely
Obey the speed limit
Allow yourself extra space to stop and adjust to any road hazards
No Matter How Safe You Ride, Accidents May Still Happen
In the unfortunate event that an accident does happen, you want to be sure you know the proper steps to take to protect your rights and your well-being—which includes speaking with a qualified Ventura County motorcycle accident attorney. Working with an attorney will ensure you have the right information in place to pursue the compensation you deserve.
Call us today at (805) 628-4967 to discuss your case with us over a free consultation.