These motorcycle safety tips can help riders reduce their chances of being involved in serious motorcycle accidents and, in turn, save lives.
Motorcycle Safety Tips
Motorcycle riders are 35 times more likely than occupants of passenger vehicles to be involved in fatal traffic accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In fact, despite the fact that motorcycles only make up about two percent of all registered vehicles in the U.S., motorcycle accidents account for approximately 11 percent of all traffic accidents that take place on U.S. roadways each year.
Some of the reasons that motorcycle accidents are so prevalent and deadly are that:
- Riders have minimal protection in the event of a motorcycle accident.
- Even when motorcycles collide with cars going at low speeds, significant damage can occur due to the fact that passenger vehicles (and other vehicles on the road) weigh substantially more than motorcycles.
- Riders are far more likely than occupants of passenger vehicles to be thrown from their vehicle/motorcycle due to the lack of safety equipment (like seatbelts) on motorcycles. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that riders will sustain serious, potentially fatal injuries.
Given these facts, it’s important that riders know how to safely operate motorcycles and practice safe riding techniques in order to reduce their chances of being involved in motorcycle accidents.
Riding Tips from Colorado’s DOT
The following motorcycle safety tips from Colorado’s Department of Transportation are intended to save riders’ lives by suggesting that riders:
- Get the proper training: Prior to riding, riders should take a safety riding course that teaches them how to ride defensively so that they are able to respond to changing traffic conditions and, ideally, reduce their chances of being involved in motorcycle accidents.
- Never ride while intoxicated: Although it is illegal to operate a motorcycle with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or greater, some riders still choose to ride while intoxicated. In fact, the NHTSA estimates that about 36 percent of riders killed in traffic accidents in 2011 were intoxicated at the time of the accident. Given that this is a preventable cause of motorcycle accidents, riders should never ride when they are intoxicated.
- Always wear protective gear: Because riders – regardless of how careful they are – can still be involved in motorcycle accidents, wearing protective gear (like safety helmets, gloves, jackets, boots and protective eyewear) can reduce the severity of injuries and possibly even save lives when such accidents occur. In fact, the NHTSA estimates that more than 1,800 lives could have been saved last year if riders had been wearing helmets when fatal motorcycle accidents occurred.
Boulder County Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident – or if you have lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, the Boulder, CO motorcycle accident lawyer at Cederberg Law is here to aggressively defend your rights and help you obtain the compensation you need and deserve.
Since 2011, we have been successful at securing results and compensation for people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents caused by other individuals’ negligence and recklessness. Having handled countless cases, our attorney and his legal team has a deep understanding of the law, as well as the legal experience you need. He can fiercely defend your rights in any legal setting, aggressively litigate on your behalf in court, and skillfully negotiators outside of court. This makes our trusted lawyer a formidable force that will not back down until you secure the maximum possible compensation for your injuries, expenses and losses.
To learn more about your rights and receive a thorough, professional evaluation of your case for free, call us at 303-499-0449 or email us using the form at the left-hand side of the screen.