Driving a car or riding your bike should be a safe and enjoyable experience. But sometimes it’s not always so. There are accidents are other incidences on the road which endanger the life of a motorist and other road users. However, with considerate attention to security and safety tips, riding on the road should be quite safe.
Driving a car is quite different from riding a motorbike. A motorbike requires more attention, you have to balance yourself, and you are more exposed to the elements than when you are in a car. But the traffic rules and laws are similar and thus you need to familiarize yourself with these rules.
Below are 4 tips which you can use to ensure a safer and accident-free ride.
1. Hone Your Riding/Driving Skills
Your ability to control your car or motorbike skillfully on the road depends on your skills and experience. Never assume that you are good on the road after a short and rush driving/riding training. Hone your skills by reading widely, doing actual practice, and even getting tips for a safer ride from experienced drivers. You never know how long these tips can help you keep yourself off accidents and other unfortunate road incidents.
For a motorbike, you need to be extra careful. You will not only need to master the traffic rules and road signs but you will also need to learn how to balance the bike. Practice will perfect your riding skills. Go for those roads with few road users and hone your acquired riding skills there. Learn how to safely negotiate corners, how to quickly apply emergency brakes without causing a fall, and also defensive riding. All these will increase your confidence on the road and contribute greatly to ensuring a safe and accident-free ride.
2. Have GPS Unit for Directions
A GPS device receives information from GPS satellites and then computes the device’s location and position. Most devices nowadays are accurate enough and they will furnish you with the position, the nearby landmarks, and give you direction instructions to quickly reach your destination. The GPS satellite data is provided free of charge but the device which computes such data isn’t free. They need to be purchased.
Most GPS units are designed for cars. But there are good GPS units for motorcycles, too. These GPS units are quite useful. They will help you find your way home after a long ride into unknown destinations. They could as well be used to find the shortest distance to a specific destination. There are also quite indispensable during a road trip to far off destinations. I’m sure you don’t want to get lost in unknown and lonely roads. Use these GPS units to avoid such unfortunate incidents and trace your way back home after a long picnic ride.
3. Check Your Motorbike/Car Fitness before a Ride/Drive
Preparing yourself before going to the road is quite important. If you have a car, check the brakes, the indicators, and the fuel level. You may as well need to do a basic engine inspection. This involves revving the engine to see if there are any abnormal sounds. Ensure also that the tires have the right pressure and not worn out.
For a motorbike, checking your bike fitness is equivalently important. Inspect the headlight, the indicators, the taillight, and also the coolant fluids. Check the clutch to see if it’s working properly. Test also the brakes to ensure that they give a full grip once fully applied. Adjust and wipe the mirrors. And don’t forget to wear your safety gear.
4. Be Sober and Alert
While over-speeding is attributed to be the major cause of road accidents, careless and lack of soberness come second. Don’t drink and drive. In addition to this, you need to ensure that your mind is not drifting to other mental tasks when you are on the road. Always maintain the highest level of alertness while on the road. Eliminate distractions such as phone calls and never chat while riding. Though it may seem cool to exchange messages with your friends while still holding the throttle, it might quickly land you to trouble with the traffic police or worse still lead to a fatal accident.
While it is true that bike riding is associated with more accidents than cars, there is something that every road user can do to reduce the number of accidents on the road. Use the above pointers to get even a safer and more enjoyable ride. By doing this, you will be ensuring high road safety not only for yourself but also for other road users.
