Continuing on with our motorcycle tips series for Bike Week, we at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers have put together a list of safety tips to help prevent motorcycle accidents. One of the main causes of motorcycle accidents caused by other drivers is visibility – that is, car and truck drivers who collide with motorcycles because they didn’t see them coming. While many accidents are caused by negligence and simply not looking for motorcyclists before turning or merging, the fact is that visibility is extremely important for motorcyclists. Taking a few preventative measures to increase visibility will greatly decrease your chances of being involved in an accident.
Here are eight tips to increase your visibility:
- Wear high visibility safety gear. The cheapest and easiest way to increase your visibility on the road is to wear bright orange or yellow gear like helmets or jackets. These high-visibility colors will instantly attract a driver’s eyes and make them aware of your presence.
- Ride a brightly colored motorcycle. Dark colored motorcycles can be difficult for another driver to see. Driving a brightly colored bike will ensure that other drivers see you coming.
- Stay out of blind spots. Blind spots are called blind spots for a reason. Avoid driving in the blind spots of vehicles around you whenever possible, or make your passes quickly and get into a highly visible lane position.
- Use reflective tape. Add reflective tape to the any piece of your bike that sticks out a good distance from a light source. It is also a good idea to add it to your wheel rims. This will make your bike much more conspicuous when you ride at night.
- Tap your brakes. Tapping your brakes causes your taillights to blink, getting the attention of the person behind you. This is also a good way to alert your riding buddies of a dangerous road condition ahead.
- Add auxiliary lights. Adding extra light sources to your bike is always a good idea. The addition of auxiliary lights can increase another driver’s ability to accurately determine a motorcycle’s speed by 20 percent and its distance by 10 percent.
- Use your high beams. Riding with your high beams on during the day is another way to increase your visibility. Because they won’t be seen with the contrast of nighttime visibility, you shouldn’t worry about blinding other drivers.
- Use your horn. A quick chirp of your horn can recall the attention of distracted or inattentive drivers before they end up causing an accident.
For more information on motorcycle accidents, please visit our website. To request a free initial case evaluation with a South Carolina motorcycle accident attorney at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers, please call our office at (888) 612-7001.