Ah summertime! With warm weather people like to take the top down and maybe lose a couple of wheels. It’s so good to feel the wind in your face! But with more motorcycles comes more motorcycle accidents. As a rider, take these motorcycle safety tips to minimize your chances of an accident, or at least the severity of your injuries if you do get in a crash.

Wear Proper Motorcycle Safety Gear

Under California law, every motorcycle driver and rider is required to wear protective headgear while on the road. Wear a helmet that has a face shield or protective eye gear to minimize your chances of injury. A motorcycle rider not wearing a helmet is five times more likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury. Failure to wear a helmet will also greatly decrease your overall compensation in a personal injury case.

Other gear to minimize injuries in a crash: leather clothing, non-skid boots, and gloves. This protective gear can help you avoid road rash, burns, broken bones, internal injuries, soft tissue damage, head and neck injuries, spinal cord injuries, and more. Wearing the right protective gear also makes it harder for an insurer to claim that you were not riding safely at the time of an accident and can strengthen your claims for damages.

One more thing: CAMERAS. Make sure the motorcycle safety measures you took are provable in court. Get a GoPro for your helmet, and a dashcam for your car. Don’t rely on people’s memories or truthfulness, because video never forgets and never lies!

Obey Traffic Rules

In order to prove fault and maximize your claims in a motorcycle accident, you should always obey the traffic rules. This means watching your speed, using traffic signals, and riding while sober and awake. You should also drive defensively whenever you are on the road with other vehicles. Drivers of cars, trucks, and other larger vehicles do not always check for motorcycles, and you should not assume that they see you. A driver moving into a motorcycle’s right of way is the number one cause of accidents on the road in California.

Prep Your Ride

In addition to riding safely, you should also prep your ride to ensure that your equipment is good to go. Prepping your motorcycle before a ride ensures that no faulty equipment will cause an accident and that you did all of the checks necessary before your ride. This includes checking your tires, undercarriage, headlight, taillight, fluid levels, clutch and throttle, mirrors, brakes, and horn. If you fail to prep your motorcycle prior to taking it out on the road, the insurance companies may claim that your faulty bike caused the accident and attempt to bar you from recovering compensation for your injuries after an accident. Motorcycle safety includes having a safe motorcycle, after all!

Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney Today

Practicing safe riding can greatly decrease your chances of being involved in an accident on the Californian roadway. If you are involved in an accident, call or contact The Lion’s Law Office attorneys.