Motorcycles Are Fun; Be Smart and Keep the Fun Rolling

I own a 2014 Harley-Davidson Street Glide.  Love it!

Safety on the road is an everytime, every minute need.  I’ve had people accidentally  pull out in front of me and I’ve been caught in some nasty and unexpected weather more than once while on the open road.  To all my friends and fellow riders I dedicate the below information copied from a Safeco Motorcycle Insurance flyer customized for Ion Insurance Agency.   Read on and heed the advice for your own safety:

Do your part to ride safely.

• 22 percent of riders killed in crashes are not licensed at all or are improperly licensed to operate a motorcycle.  When you’re controlling this much force, it’s essential that you have the licensing and training to be in complete control of your motorcycle.
• Know your bike’s capabilities – how it performs in a curve or on slick roads and how quickly it can stop. Errors like overbraking, driving too fast or undercornering are major factors in many solo accidents.
• Attend a Motorcycle Safety Course.  Safeco Insurance offers a discount to riders who attend a motorcycle safety course where a certificate of completion is issued. Completing these certified courses can reduce your premium.
• Tie goes to the larger vehicle or object.  In a crash, the SUV wins. When cars and motorcycles collide, it’s usually because the driver of the car failed to see the cyclist. With more SUVs on the road, it’s even more critical to take extra steps to become more visible.
• Use your headlamps – both night and day – and wear yellow, red or orange jackets to make yourself easy to see.
• Make a point of positioning yourself in your lane for visibility.
• Remember: Ride sober. Driving impaired is just as deadly for riders as it is for drivers. In 2009 alone, 37% of fatally injured motorcycle riders had a BAC (blood alcohol content) of at least .01 g/dL.*
• No one’s too old to wear a helmet. It’s estimated that wearing a helmet can help reduce your risk of a fatal accident by 37%.* Buy a full-face helmet for the best protection for your head and eyes.
• Wear other protective gear as well: heavy leather or synthetic gloves, long pants and jacket and over-the-ankle leather boots.

This advice applies to all riders – not just teenagers learning to ride. In fact, more than half of all riders killed in motorcycle crashes in 2009 were 40 years of age and older. *

 To see the full flyer with credits and further information follow this link:  Safeco & Di Motorcycle flyer