3 tips for staying safe on your motorcycle

Motorcyclists love hitting the open road and the feeling of freedom riding can provide. Follow these tips to reduce likelihood of injury and ensure you're able to enjoy riding for years to come.

• While the safety benefits of wearing a proper motorcycle helmet should be obvious, there are still some bikers who refuse to wear them.
• However, this may be the one single most important safety measure you can take to save yourself from severe head trauma or loss of life.
• Most motorcycle accidents happen under 50km/h, which is a speed range in which a helmet can do a lot to save your life.

• It's important to wear the proper riding gear, which means the right clothing and protective accessories that complement your helmet.
• Often, a leather jacket can be an invaluable form of protection if you skid out, roll or get dragged, helping to literally save your skin.
• You should also be wearing riding gloves, full length pants and even long boots that cover your ankles. You may be tempted to wear a t-shirt and shorts in the summer, but this can be a potentially costly mistake.
• It's also an important step to wear clothing that's highly visible while riding, especially if you're out at night. Consider a reflective or bright coloured jacket for the best protection.

• Most motorcyclists love the excitement riding offers, but it's important to remember that there are plenty of others on the open road. You have more to lose in an accident, as you simply have less protection than those in an automobile. In fact, in Canada, motorcyclists are 15 times more likely to be involved in a crash than an automobile driver and also much more likely to suffer a fatality.
• To stay safe, obey all traffic rules, frequently signal with your hands, and slow down when handling curves, which is an area where many riders lose control.
• Also play it defensively with other vehicles by maintaining adequate space between yourself and other cars. This will give you more time to react to vehicles that stop short or behave erratically.
• Ultimately, if you feel like you don't have enough experience riding to properly follow these tips, you should take a riding course or a refresher. Staying safe on the road should be your number one priority on your motorcycle, and the fun will almost certainly follow.