This past May was motorcycle safety month, which is a great time to continue your motorcycle safety awareness and education for the upcoming 2023 summer. The additional injury risk and exposure to serious accidents can be intimidating and requires informed riders to make a serious commitment to safety.
Safety Tips For Beginners
One of the most intimidating aspects of motorcycling are exacerbated when you’re just starting and lack experience. The lack of experience paired with the increased potential for severe to fatal accidents creates a dangerous combination. If you recently acquired or are planning to pursue a motorcycle license, it’s incredibly important to prioritize your safety. Here are a few examples of actionable safety precautions for inexperienced motorcyclists:
Motorcycle Safety Courses
Nebraska is one of the many states where an approved motorcycle safety course can substitute the required motorcycle skills test within the motorcycle license application process. Regardless of your licensing status, even experienced riders could benefit from a minimum of 14 hours of motorcycle instruction in a Nebraska motorcycle safety course. The basics course is meant to cover and explain the following:
- How to properly operate the different two and three wheeled motorcycles.
- Precautionary features and important control locations.
- Proactive driving skills and evasive maneuvers in the event of a road hazard.
Operating safety equipment and safety procedures in the event of an accident. - How alcohol and drugs affect your ability to operate a motorcycle.
It’s important to note that Nebraska motorcycle safety training courses are not required if an applicant has had their learners permit for over 90 days.
Helmet Safety
Wearing a helmet has been proven to reduce the risk of head injury in the event of an accident by nearly 70%. Helmets also have been proven to effectively reduce fatal motorcycle accidents by 37% for drivers and 41% for passengers. Protective clothing such as jackets, boots, and gloves can also be a great supplement to further improve your safety.
Motorcycle Maintenance and Inspection
While it’s important to make sure you stay up to date with your vehicle’s required maintenance and inspection checks (every 2 years in California), pre-ride inspections can prevent dangerous failures or malfunctions. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation provides a pre-ride inspection checklist to use as a guideline to minimize the risk of preventable accidents due to mechanical errors.
Moving forward, it’s important to always exercise caution in an attempt to minimize your motorcycle accident risk and improve driver safety regardless of your experience level. In the event of a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Collecting evidence and documentation, refraining from formal insurance statements, and getting an experienced legal consultation will improve your chances at a fair and equitable legal outcome for your case.