(Sponsored post on safety priorities for our North American readers – Image: Pexels)
No motorist wants to cause harm to other people because of their driving. But, despite the best intentions and the best efforts at avoiding accidents, they still happen. Barring the factor of negligence, this could already be the makings of an awful accident.
While the inherent danger applies to all motorists on the road, the dangers are much more amplified in the case of motorcyclists. Whether it’s due to motorcycles having lighter frames, less protection compared to cars, or being smaller and more difficult to see, the dangers that motorcycle riders face are much more significant.
While motorcycle manufacturers do their best to create motorcycles that are as safe as possible, the numbers speak to the uphill battle they face. There is still a significant number of motorcycle rider deaths and, as of now, the only true guarantee of a safe journey is the total avoidance of an accident. A lot of accidents can be averted by remaining extremely aware of all other cars and people around you so you can react to avoid an accident before it happens. And even when you have professionals like the lawyers at Tario & Associates who specialize in handling cases involving vehicular accidents, accidents are events that you’re best avoiding.
As a motorcycle rider, it’s important to be seen by other motorists on the road as it allows them to make the correct driving decisions that would prevent untoward accidents. So, what are some measures that we can take in order to make our presence of the road known to other motorists?
Daytime Running Lights
While a lot of sources will suggest using a high beam during the day time, this is counterintuitive as instead of making your presence felt to other motorists, you could end up blinding them. Daylight running lights are designed specifically for the purpose of making sure that your vehicle is visible without being too bright for other drivers.
Use Reflective Tape
You can also opt to use reflective tape on various parts of your motorcycle so that you motorcycle is more easily seen at night when drivers rely heavily on the illumination provided by the headlights of their car. This is even more important because vision at night is limited.
Wear Brightly Colored Gear
Sometimes reflective tape may not be enough to catch the attention of other motorists especially when reflective tape will almost always come in a single color. Resolve this issue by wearing brightly colored gear in order to make yourself visible.
Use Your Turn Signals
Finally, being visible isn’t going to mean much if the other motorists are unable to predict your movements. While the use of turn signals is a basic habit that all riders should have, it is one that is so easily overlooked. Many accidents can be so easily avoided just by indicating your intentions while on the road. This allows other motorists to make adjustments to their path if necessary.
The issue of safety should always be among your priorities. Vehicular accidents should never be taken lightly and as motorcycle riders, it’s important to minimize the risks involved.