Taking your bike out to savor the warm days left before winter comes is a privilege every motorcyclist should be able to experience. Cutting through the summer breeze or cruising around in the fall to catch glimpses of foliage before the air gets too crisp is probably already on your mind if you are an avid rider.
But falling victim to a crash shouldn’t cut your riding season short before the snow does. Instead, riders or all experience levels can take strides to become safer. When motorcyclists refresh their skills and increase their visibility, then they might be able to prevent an accident.
Refresh your skills
Sometimes going back to the basics is one of your safest bets if you want to prevent an accident. For example, if you feel like you didn’t get much riding in this summer and your turning skills are a little rusty, then it’s probably not wise to sign onto a group day trip next weekend. Instead, you can try going to the nearest vacant parking lot and practice turning in a safe space before entering a busy freeway again. If you prefer instructor-led training, the South Dakota Safety Council offers courses for riders of all skill levels. Essentially, becoming better at maneuvering on your bike can help you dodge hazards on the road with more ease.
Reimagine your wardrobe
You might also be able to dodge a collision by choosing brighter colors to wear when you ride. Specifically, wearing fluorescent colors during the day and reflective pieces at night may help you become more visible among traffic. Through a study on visibility, researchers found car drivers fail to see motorcycles, even if conditions are clear and the motorcyclist is far away from the driver’s blind spots. Which is why it’s crucial to take any opportunity to add reflective or bright pieces to your clothing, helmet and other gear.
Checking in with your skills and phasing out dark-colored clothing might just keep you riding for many more years to come.