Tips and advice for motorcycle safety

Whether you ride to commute, or simply as something to enjoy on a warm spring or summer day, journeys on motorcycles can always carry risks. So, to help you take care of yourself - and other road users - whilst you ride, we at National Accident Helpline have pulled together a handy guide of motorcycling safety tips.

Before you take your motorcycle out onto the road, you should prepare yourself for the ride. Basic safety tips such as the ones we have provided below can make all the difference on your ride.

Take a motorcycle safety course

As part of your preparations to ride your motorcycle, you should take a motorcycle safety course. This will allow you to understand the road rules for riding your motorcycle and help you to make the right decisions in tricky road situations.

A motorcycle safety course will also help you gain confidence in riding your motorcycle on the road. 

Check the condition of your motorcycle

Before you ride a motorcycle, you should check its condition. Never delay care and maintenance of your bike and instead make it a regular occurrence. You must ensure your motorcycle is safe to ride on the road which includes checking:

• headlights
• tail lights
• indicators
• brakes
• oil
• tyre pressure
• mirrors
• handlebars
• horn

Check the weather conditions

The weather conditions have a huge impact on motorcycle safety so you must check them before you head out for a ride. If you are planning a long trip of more than a day of motorcycling, check each day's weather in case of changes so you are fully prepared. 

If weather conditions forecast rain, ice or snow, you should think about how necessary your journey is. These weather conditions can affect visibility particularly as on a motorbike you do not have windshield wipers or any windshield. Poor weather can also affect your traction on the road. 

Get (and wear!) a helmet and the  correct clothing

Preparation to hit the road on your motorcycle means ensuring you have a helmet and the correct clothing. These will protect you from dangers associated with riding a bike, which as you are exposed, increase in comparison to other vehicles on the road. These include:

• debris such as rocks
• bugs
• cigarette butts

 The correct clothing for riding a motorcycle includes:

• a department of transportation approved safety helmet
• leather jacket
• leather trousers
• glasses or goggles if your helmet is open-faced
• boots which rise above your ankle

If you have a passenger, ensure they also have the correct clothing and wear the correct helmet.  And even when the weather gets hot, you must still wear protective clothing on a motorbike. 

Riding a motorcycle is an exciting and thrilling experience. However, it can also be an incredibly dangerous one. As a motorcyclist involved in an accident, you have 30 times more chance than a motorist of dying. It is vital, therefore, that you follow simple riding safety tips such as ours below. 

Be aware of potential hazards

Motorcycle riding safety tips involve making sure you are aware of potential hazards on the road. One way of ensuring this is by using your head as a motorcyclist. Do not rely solely on your mirrors and instead keep your head up around corners and look over your shoulder to check the road is clear. 

Also, drive defensively as though others have not spotted you or are not alert on the road. 

Position correctly and use your signals 

You must position yourself correctly when you ride your motorbike. Think about how you physically feel such as whether:

• your back is comfortable
• you feel constrained
• you have adjusted your mirrors

Using your signals is crucial for motorcycle safety. Your signals tell others where you plan to move on the road so you can avoid a collision. 

Watch the road ahead and keep your distance

It may sound like common sense, but advice for riding your motorcycle safely on the road includes watching the road ahead. Check for unstable road conditions  such as gravel and be careful when the road curves. 

As with any vehicle on the road, you must keep your distance from other vehicles. It is better to give extra space to allow you to stop safely in an emergency. 

Observe other road users

This includes looking out for dangers on the road. Observing is anticipating, which is hugely important as part of motorcycle safety. You should not assume other drivers have seen you so observing them and their moves is essential .

Be visible

When riding your bike, you must ensure you are visible to others on the road. There are numerous ways you can do this such as:

• keep out of driver's blind spots
• keep your headlights on regardless of whether it is day or night
• wear bright clothes
• wear something reflective

Concentrate and avoid distractions

Advice for motorcycle safety includes avoiding distractions. Never wear headphones or be tempted to check your phone as you need to be extra aware of everything around you on the road.  Avoiding distractions also includes emotional and mental ones so keep your mind clear at all  times.

If you are not a motorcyclist and you prefer to stick to the comfort of a car, you can also help ensure motorcyclists stay safe. Here are some tips:

Give motorcycles time and space

When you drive on the road you must give motorcyclists time and space on the road. Allow them to pass you before you move if you are about to merge next to a motorcyclist. 

Keep your distance

Keep your distance from motorcyclists. Let them move and don't get too close to them. Instead, leave at least the distance of a car between you and the motorcycles. 

Be alert and aware of  motorcycles

Motorcycles are smaller than cars and other vehicles so they can be more difficult to see. This means as a driver you need to be alert and aware which includes looking twice before you make a move.

Anticipate the motorcyclist's movements

As a driver, it can be difficult to always know what motorcyclists will do on the road. Try to anticipate and don't muddle a lane shift for a land change. 

If you are in a road traffic accident which involves a motorcycle, you should stop whether or not you cause the accident when:

• someone is injured
• there is damage to another vehicle
• an animal is hurt or
• an objection in the road such as street lamps is damaged.

You should also:

• call for emergency help as necessary
• swap details with other drivers of the motorcyclist involved
• get witness details
• take photos as potential evidence.

^{Last updated 04.05.23}