Riding a motorcycle is risky

There are numerous reasons why riding a motorcycle puts you at high risk of being involved in a crash that can result in severe injuries or death. Motorcycles are more difficult to see than cars and drivers often do not look for them, increasing the risk of cars hitting motorcycles.

“When a motorcycle accident occurs, there is a high likelihood of severe injuries becausemotorcycles lack seat belts, airbags, or other safety features present in cars,” says Fakhar Abbas.“The faster you go, the less time you have to see and react to debris, or other potential threats. For instance, speeding could make it difficult to see an upcoming turn. If you panic and hit the brakes too hard, you could go flying off the bike,” says Shakir Hussain.

“You also want to avoid traveling at a speed that gives you little time to react to road hazards. An extra second could be all the time you need to maneuver around a gap in the pavement or a slippery spot in the road. If it is raining or there is other inclement weather, you should slow down even more, as you are at greater risk of a crash,” says Abis Raza.

“Look behind you when you stop at intersections. When you stop, watch behind you to see if a car is coming. Keep your bike in gear so you can pull away if a car approaches and it looks like it will hit you,” says Imtiaz Ali.

“Never ride between active traffic and parked cars. This is dangerous for a few reasons as a driver could open his or her car door and you could plow right into it. A car could pull out in front of you and you could crash into it. A pedestrian could step out and you may not have enough time to slow down to avoid a collision,” says Arham Ali.

“Always perform regular maintenance of your motorcycle. Ensuring your motorcycle is in excellent running condition can help reduce the risk of a crash. You can do this by performing regular maintenance on the following components, engine, brakes, tires, and headlamp,” says Azadar Hussain.

“You should know how to deal with common road obstacles. You will encounter road obstacles at some point, whether it is train tracks, wet pavement, potholes, leaves, or rubber from blown-out tires. You need to know what to do to maneuver around or through these hazards without being involved in a serious accident,” says Irfan Haider.

Muntazir Mehdi says, “Never share a lane with another car. This is a needless risk to take when riding your motorcycle. Drivers do not expect to be sharing lanes with motorcycles so they may not look for you or see you when they change lanes, resulting in a preventable accident.”