Summer is on its way and motorcycle riders all over Northern California will be taking advantage of the favorable weather and hitting the road. With their increased numbers, it is important that motorists and motorcyclists understand how to safely share the road, especially with Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month coming in May. Taking the proper safety precautions and driving defensively can dramatically decrease the risk of a motorcycle accident in San Jose.
If you are planning on riding your motorcycle this spring and summer, it is important to remember that what you wear is almost as important as how you ride. A motorcycle does not offer the same protection for its rider as cars do for their drivers, so a motorcyclist needs to protect themselves. The essentials of what to wear are:
- A full-face helmet (as it provides eye and face protection),
- Sturdy/padded jacket (with full sleeves),
- Pants made of thick material (no shorts or cotton pants that flap in the wind!),
- Reinforced gloves, and
- Boots tall enough to protect the ankles.
In addition to proper riding gear, the most important aspect of being a safe motorcycle driver is knowing your motorcycle. Taking motorcycle courses and getting your motorcycle license are the best ways to get to know how a motorcycle works. It is very different from a car and asks more of its driver, so you need to be comfortable with it to ride it safely. Smoothly shifting gears, braking, and turning take practice, and it is only with practice that you will get used to your motorcycle. Regular maintenance and knowing basic troubleshooting techniques will also help you stay safe on the road.
Finally, driving defensively will help keep a motorcyclist safe. Other motorists don’t always know how to share the road with motorcycles or possibly don’t even know that there are motorcycles on the road. A motorcyclist must be especially aware of other vehicles and assume that they don’t necessarily see them. Driving with these points in mind will help prevent a motorcycle crash.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a motorcycle accident because of the negligent driving of another, the experienced San Jose motorcycle collision lawyers of Van Der Walde & Associates, LLP, can inform you of your legal rights and options. For a consultation, contact us at 877-862-6288.
