Motorcycle Safety Tips
Motorcycle crashes and scooter crashes can be brutal. It only makes sense to take certain precautions to make sure you don’t end up in a wreck. The lawyers and staff of the Dolan Law Firm have helped dozens of victims of terrible scooter, bicycle and motorcycle accidents, and believe it is very important to pass on as much information as possible to help prevent future tragedies.
There are many steps you can take that greatly reduce the chance you will be seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. According to the landmark Hurt Report, the following actions have been proven to help prevent crashes involving two wheeled vehicles:
Stay Visible
A key to preventing motorcycle accidents is “conspicuity,” which simply means making yourself noticeable. Because so many cars and trucks say that they “just don’t see motorcycles or bicycles” and then cause terrible crashes — the more conspicuous you are when riding, the better. It is important to use headlamps, both during the night and day, and to wear high-visibility yellow, orange or bright red jackets. Fairings and windshields are also thought to help conspicuity with motorcycles.
Get Training
Around 92% of the riders involved in motorcycle wrecks were taught how to ride by friends or relatives or taught themselves. Experience with motorcycle rider training, however, is associated with many fewer accidents and less severe injuries in the accidents that occur.
Use Helmets and Safety Wear
Safety wear may not prevent accidents, but it helps to prevent serious injuries in accidents. Some bikers don’t like California helmet laws. Regardless of whether helmet use should be mandatory, helmets are effective. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), helmets reduce the chance of a fatality in a crash by 29%.
The most deadly injuries in bike crashes are to the chest and head, and using a safety helmet compliant with FMVSS 218 is very effective in preventing death and serious head injury. Look for the Department of Transportation (DOT) or Snell Foundation labels when buying a helmet.
Wearing heavy boots, jackets, and gloves while motorcycling is very effective in protecting victims of accidents from less deadly injuries, such as lacerations, abrasions, and “road rash.”
Contact Our Attorneys
The California motorcycle and bicycle collision lawyers of the Dolan Law Firm are ready to help anyone who has suffered a serious injury in a motorcycle crash. We do all work on contingency — we charge you nothing and collect no fee unless we collect damages. Please contact our attorneys today at 415-636-8160 or complete our contact form for a free case evaluation.
