Community safety
Tips for motorcyclists
We all share the road and with that comes risk. Take a look at the top tips to help you stay safe.
As a motorcyclist, you are one of the most vulnerable road users. You don't have seatbelts, airbags or side impact bars to protect you. How you approach each ride and deal with the hazards is really important. Remember that other drivers have difficulty judging the speed of your bike.
Keep yourself safe
- hydrate. Dehydration is a hidden danger that affects your concentration and reaction times
- leave plenty of time. Forty-nine per cent of collisions happen when riding to, from or during work
- make sure your vehicle is safe to drive
- don’t ride if you're tired. Research shows it's impossible to stop yourself falling asleep. Include 20 minute breaks every two hours
- look out for upcoming bends, hidden dips, blind summits and concealed entrances. Brake before the bend, not in it, to reduce the risk of skidding
- allow more time to brake on wet, slippery roads. It takes twice as long to stop on wet roads and 10 times longer on icy roads
- be seen. Ride with your headlight on dipped beam
- take extra care when filtering through traffic as drivers may not always be aware of you
Make the right decisions
Stay off your phone
Using a mobile phone when driving increases the chances of a crash by four times. Riders who message are over 20 times more likely to crash.
Keep your mobile phone out of sight and set it to 'do not disturb'.
Ride safely
- don’t drive too fast. It reduces the chance of you stopping or avoiding a crash. Those extra couple of moments could make all the difference
- drive slow and wide when passing more vulnerable road users such as horse riders, cyclists and walkers
- don’t drink alcohol - even a small amount seriously reduces reaction time
Don’t just be a good rider be the best
You can improve your skills on one of the advanced riding courses available across the county.
Group riding
Riding as a group may be more enjoyable, but it does increase your chance of having a crash. There are some ways you can reduce the risk:
- limit the group to two or three riders
- plan your route
- schedule in safe stopping places to allow people to catch up
- in larger groups, have a lead biker and a sweeper to ride at the back
- do not feel pressured in keeping up if others are not following the rules of the road