Staying Safe Whilst Riding Out on the Road

More and more people and organisations are attempting to raise further awareness about riding motorcycles safely after a 38-year-old cyclist was killed due whilst out on the road. The 97mph crash occurred when David Holmes was riding through the A47 in Norfolk. David died after a car turned into his path. The speed limit was 60mph. David’s mother decided to release the footage of the accident to encourage motorcyclists to stay safe and ride carefully when out on the road.

No Room for Complacency

Motorcycles might be exciting, but they still aren’t as safe as cars. They don’t have some of the safety features that you might associate with their four-wheeled rivals including an exterior frame to partially protect the rider. There are no seatbelts and overall they are much less stable than cars. Nonetheless, many riders have managed to enjoy their vehicles for years without being involved in a motor cycle injury. Let’s take a look at some steps that we can take to remain as possible whilst out on our motorcycles.

Be Protected with Robust Clothing

You should always make sure you invest in the right safety clothing when riding your motorcycle. The clothes you wear are designed to protect you. Leather is great for protecting you against injuries and there are jackets that you can acquire that will keep your temperature down as you ride. You should choose appropriate shoes with rugged, rather than smooth, soles. Your footwear should be robust and should provide ample support for the heels and ankles. If you’re not an experience rider, you should try things that you are not ready for yet, like weaving freely in and out of traffic. Fiddling with gadgets such as phones is rightly frowned upon, and listening to music isn’t the best idea either.

Ride in the Right Weather

You should only ride in testing, wet climates if you have the experience to do so. Slips can easily occur and visibility can become a problem quickly. Don’t ride your motorbike if snow, heavy rain or ice are predicted. Wearing a helmet is perhaps the most important thing to do as a motorcyclist, and you may risk brain damage and even death if you don’t make use of one. It’s wise to shop around for the best helmet as some are more robust and reliable than others. Your helmet should fit properly and shouldn’t compromise your vision, whilst helping you to avoid facing a motor injury.

Set the Best Example to Others

Remaining visible when out on the road is a must if you are to avoid a personal injury, especially as motorcycles can be much more difficult for others to see than cars and other vehicles. Invest in the best lights you can and remember to replace them when you need to. Hi-visibility clothing is regularly worn alongside leathers, ensuring that riders can be safe and seen. If you’re riding at night, lights and visible clothing are especially important. Of course, observing the speed limit goes without saying. By taking the above steps, motorcycling can be as safe as it is thrilling.

 

Seating

On long rides it can be easy become tired and fatigue it set in which is extremely dangerous as when you are not alert to any potential hazards that might occur. All though one way to fight fatigue is taking regular breaks to get some energy you should make yourself as comfortable as possible.  A great way to improve comfort while riding is by having a comfortable seat. Something like the DebbonAir padded seat range can be ideal for this helping you stay alert for long. Even something as small as this can have a huge impact in improving safety but also can make you feel much refreshed after a long ride with no aches and pains.

 

Unfortunately sometime no matter what measure you take and how many years of experience you have riding you can’t avoid accidents because of someone else careless and hazardous driving. If you are the victim of an accident don’t just accept it. There are plenty of law firms like Thomson Snell and Passmore from Kent who specialise in personal injury and road accident who will be able to help you and more information can be found here if you have been a victim and want help.