“Get Your Motor Running”
Personal Injury Partner Kimberley Munro highlights safety tips for motorcycle riding
As a motorcycle rider and as a personal injury lawyer representing motorcycle crash victims and their families, I am far too familiar with the devastation when a car and a motorcycle collide. With some warmer weather finally making an appearance, its time to review how we can safely share the roadways. Here are some tips:
For Riders
- Don’t assume other vehicles will obey the rules of the road
- Don’t assume other vehicles can see you or hear you
- Ride defensively and pro-actively
- Wear protective clothing/helmet
- Use signals
- Stay out of the blind spots of other vehicles
- Try to make eye contact with vehicle operators
- If riding with a passenger, use that second set of eyes to scan and watch traffic
- Do not ride if you are tired
- Do not ride after consumption of alcohol or cannabis – you need to be fully alert and able to react to emerging circumstances quickly
For Drivers
- Look specifically for motorcycles- they are harder to see and you may not hear them
- Motorcycles will appear smaller and more narrow than a car in your field of vision
- Scan intersections as you approach for motorcycles
- Check your blind spots carefully before changing lanes or passing
- Leave distance behind a motorcycle you are following and extra space if passing
- Exercise caution when pulling out or entering a highway- you may not be able to accurately assess the speed of an approaching motorcycle
- Be aware that motorcycles handle differently than cars on wet pavement- especially when rain first starts to fall
- Watch for a motorcycle making a sudden move to avoid potholes, changes to the roadway surface, or to avoid animals or other debris on the roadway.
With a little extra effort, we can all enjoy the roads this season. Ride safe!!!