12 January 2015
 Categories: Law, Blog

In 2012, nearly 5,000 motorcyclists died in traffic accidents. The trend in deaths seem to waver throughout time between the 1980's and the present. While the deaths declined throughout the 80's they began to increase again in the 90's. There were twice as many deaths in 2012 than there were in 1997. Motorcyclists need to practice every safety measure possible to ensure their safety while riding. If you own a motorcycle, or are thinking about getting one, here are tips you need to follow to keep yourself safe.

Proper Braking

While avoiding an accident while driving a vehicle, many people will stomp on their brake and hope for the best. On a motorcycle, that is a very good way to crash. You operate the front and back brake separately and you have to know exactly how they work. The front brake provides about 70% of your stopping ability while you back brake provides only 30%. If you stomp on your back brake, you will cause a huge weight transfer and reduce the motorcycle's traction with the road. This will ultimately result in skidding or crashing.

Body Armor

You don't have an exterior to take the brunt of the crash, therefore, you have to add exterior to your body. Buy the best body armor that you can afford, specifically designed for motorcycle drivers. It is critical to add armor to your:

• Knees & elbows
• Chest
• Neck
• Hands
• Legs
• Feet
• Hips
• Back
• Head

Many jackets are made with armor inserts that will cover many of these areas. You can buy a jacket with inserts in the chest, back, arms, and shoulders that will keep your body safe. It isn't just extra padding; many of these jackets are like wearing a helmet over your body. Even if you state doesn't require you to wear a helmet when you ride a motorcycle, you need to do it for yourself. All of the body armor is completely pointless if your head isn't covered. Your life can end because you hit your unprotected head on the asphalt after falling off your motorcycle.

If you're questioning what's necessary, just remember; cover what you want to keep.

Professional Safety Courses

Professional safety courses can mean the difference between life and death on the road. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers safety courses to people whether they have their motorcycle license or not. If you take the safety course before buying insurance, you will receive a discount from any insurance provider. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation combines classroom instruction with hands-on safety lessons. You will receive a motorcycle to ride for the duration of the course and learn safety lessons that can save your life on the road.

Motorcycle safety is extremely important. You need to learn how to keep yourself safe by driving defensively and taking precautions such as motorcycle safety gear. Motorcycles are as dangerous as they are fun and you don't want to end up a statistic.