The death rate of motorcyclists raises a huge concern every year. Between 31 August 2017 and 31 August 2018, there were 726 motorcycle accidents, of which 187 were fatal. 72% of the time a motor vehicle was involved in those accidents. 1
Most of these accidents happen in urban areas where there is a lot of congestion from vehicles, pedestrians and very bad road surfaces.
According to the AA, the top four causes of motorcycle accidents are speeding, right-of-way violations, loss of control on bends, corners and curves, and bad judgement errors. More vigilance is needed on the road for motorcyclists, motorists and pedestrians alike. As road users, we need to be considerate of one another to ensure safe travel.
Safety tips for bikers
- Know your motorcycle well: Know the limitations of your motorcycle and how to control it. Make sure the motorcycle is well suited to you. If you are using a different bike to yours, try and be as careful as possible.
- Wear the correct riding gear: Make sure to wear the right protective gear including reflective and bright clothing, a helmet and gloves. These can be bought at most motorcycle companies.
- Maintain a safe following distance: Make sure you have an escape route in an emergency situation. Give yourself enough time and space to react to a motorist’s potentially unpredictable and unsafe manoeuvres. Motorists are not always aware that you are there. It is also good to always plan ahead for hazardous objects and dangers.
- Move safely and quickly: Your timing is imperative when it comes to overtaking, changing lanes or turning. Do that as safely and quickly as possible.
- Avoid falling into bad habits:
- Overconfident: even if you are an experienced and confident “biker”, there will always be room for improvement. Even the most experienced rider can still make fatal riding errors.
- Attitude: try and always maintain a respectful riding attitude. Try not to give into other bikers’ bad riding attitudes and avoid riding while intoxicated. Rather ride alone and avoid possible fatal mistakes.
- Ignorance: there is always room for improvement. Learning from other experienced riders is very beneficial.
- Make sure that you are seen by other road users; Always be vigilant and keep your eyes on the road. Don’t fall in right behind a big vehicle or truck – you will not be visible to them or other motorists. This also obstructs your view beyond the vehicle.
- Don’t rely solely on your mirrors. Check both of your side mirrors and over your shoulder (“blind spot”) and make sure to indicate and signal clearly to other road users.
- Maintain the right momentum for turns: Feather your clutch carefully when entering a turn or corner.
- Corner cleverly: Always make sure you can see ahead of you when entering a turn. Turn on the outside of the curve and delay turning into the inside of corners. Give yourself enough space and be aware of where you want to go.
- Never make assumptions: When a motorist changes lanes, don’t assume they have seen you. Try and move out of the way and avoid driving in other road users’ blind spots.
- Don’t ride your motorcycle if you’re tired. Studies have shown that riding tired is almost as bad as driving under the influence. When riding long distances, try and stop every 120 – 200 km. By making regular stops helps keep you refreshed and alert. 1
- Ride with other motorcyclists that you can trust. Don’t ride with riders that take risks. If you feel uncomfortable or in danger riding with them, rather ride alone and stay safe.
We hope all these tips will help you to improve your riding skills and keep you safer on the South African roads. Do you also own a car? Perhaps you should consider getting affordable car insurance for your vehicle.
Disclaimer:
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views and opinions of Prime Meridian Direct (Pty) Ltd, FSP41040. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
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