Motorcycle Safety Tips You Have to Know
Motorcycle safety is more important than ever.
After a brutal winter in New York the weather is finally improving enough for motorcyclists to get back out on the road. Spring is also the time of year that bike safety advocates bring awareness to
motorcycle safety.
In Orleans County, for example, May is motorcycle safety awareness month. Yorkshire has also begun a campaign to increase safety awareness of both motor and pedal bicyclists. American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) of New York, a motorcycle rights organization, has organized rides in the last several months to kick-off Motorcycle Safety & Awareness Month.
New York law requires that all motorcycle riders wear a helmet. Bike safety advocates also recommend protective clothing like reinforced jackets and padding to help protect a biker in an accident. However, The New York Times recently reported that motorcycle fatalities have increased in recent years, despite a decreased rate of motor vehicle fatalities nationwide. The study of Centers of Disease Control and Prevention numbers revealed that many fatalities occur to bikers who do not wear helmets. In states that saw a repeal of universal helmet laws, fatalities have increased significantly in recent years.
Debris and potholes may also be left over from the winter. Even skilled bikers can experience a learning curve after six months without riding a bike. That is why many safety groups recommend even experienced bikers take it slow and easy the first couple of times riding.
Other motor vehicles must also be aware of motorcycle safety. Cars, buses and trucks must again get used to sharing the road with motorcycles. It can be easy to miss a biker in a car’s blind spot. According to a recent study by the Florida Department of Transportation, car drivers are at fault 60 percent of the time when a car and motorcycle are involved in a crash. Mostly, these accident involve cars failing to yield the right of way to motorcycles.
Of course, bikers can help their own cause by wearing a helmet and obeying traffic laws. However, by its nature riding a bike is more dangerous than driving a car or truck. For motorcyclists injured in an accident, the injuries and consequences can be devastating.
Bikers who have been injured in an accident may be able to obtain legal help with recovery and lost wages. Injured riders should speak to an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss their accident, injuries and potential legal options.