motorcycle safety -

Concerned about the number of armed service members who have died because of a motorcycle crash, representatives of Edwards Air Force Base in California want military motorcyclists to know that numerous types of Personal Protective Equipment are available to those who require it.  65 members of the Air Force and Army are thought to have died in a collision during 2012’s fiscal year, and officials with the base hope to reduce those numbers by making motorcyclists more aware of the various types of gear they can utilize.  Service members can obtain helmets, vests, gloves, and various reflective products from the Exchange.  When working in concert with safety training, this gear can go a long way toward saving a life.

Click here for more information.

Just in time for Motorcycle Safety Awareness month, police in the city of Folsom plan to carry out a Motorcycle Safety Enforcement Operation up until the end of May.  Extra attention will be paid to those sections of the city where crashes of such vehicles tend to occur with greater regularity.  Not only will police be on the lookout for motorcyclists engaged in potentially dangerous behaviors, but they’ll also be keeping an eye on other drivers whose actions could compromise the safety of riders.  Particular attention will be placed on such activities as speeding and driving while intoxicated.  Illegal turns will also receive focus.  A California Office of Traffic Safety grant provided the funds necessary for the crackdown.

Click here for more about the effort.

The Los Angeles Police Department is seeking to get the word out about May’s designation as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.  To that end, they will be holding a press conference in Panorama City on Friday in which various commanding officers and other representatives will be speaking about the issue.  Automobile operators will be asked to respect the rights of their fellow travelers throughout the month and beyond, and motorcyclists will be asked to do their part by taking the steps necessary to increase visibility when out and about.  At the press conference, the department plans to issue a number of tips to riders and have helmets on hand as an example of the type of gear that should be worn.  They will also bring by a motorcycle that has been through a fatal crash and has the damage to prove it.

Click here to learn more about the press conference.

May is just a day away, and with motorcycles taking to the roads in ever larger droves, it’s no surprise that the month is designated as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.  Drivers of cars have been used to having the roads to themselves for awhile, and thus it’s important to emphasize safety even more than you might during other times of the year.  To that end, Consumer Reports has provided a handy checklist of pertinent safety tips that should be followed by motorcyclists across California.

Your first step should be seeking out adequate training before you start riding again.  If you’ve already taken your motorcycle out of storage for the summer, please don’t ride again until you revisit your training regimen.  Your best option might be the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.  A full 2,700 courses are offered across the country, so you should have no excuse not to find a certified instructor near you.  This also has the added benefit of qualifying you for insurance discounts and reduced prices on your purchase of a new motorcycle.

If you are buying a new motorcycle, then opt for one that has antilock brakes.  Thanks to their ability to provide the driver with control when a sudden press of the brakes is necessary, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that this one component can cut down on your risk of being killed in a crash by 37%.  It might cost you a couple hundreds dollars more, but it’s going to be worth it thanks to the safety benefits.

The other device that can drastically reduce the chance of being involved in a fatal collision is a helmet.  Although wearing one is law in California, some states are taking an opposite approach and repealing laws they’ve had on the books for years.  Not surprisingly, this has also led to an increase in fatalities.  Arkansas experienced 21% more deaths after the repeal of their law, and the rates were even worse in Texas, where a 31% jump occurred.  Invest in a helmet, preferably a unit that covers your entire face, and protect yourself from the more serious head injuries that can otherwise occur.

Automobile drivers take for granted road conditions that can prove disastrous to motorcycles.  A small smudge of gravel in the lane wouldn’t do anything to a car, but it could be enough to send a motorcycle reeling.  As a motorcyclist, it’s up to you to be ever-vigilant of such threats.  Keep your eyes forward and circumvent the obstacle if you can do so safely.  If the hazard is unavoidable, slow down and continue straight through the spot without swerving.  Any maneuver in the middle of an obstacle could cause you to lose control.

Finally, put ample distance between yourself and other vehicles.  Stay back, be alert for persons with a phone glued to their ear, and always look ahead to upcoming intersections for inattentive drivers.

A new article takes a look at some of the issues confronting drivers in San Jose and other environs in California.  A host of questions was posed to a columnist, who then sought to enlighten citizens as to the various laws in place.  For instance, one person wonders why hands-free texting is still legal despite widespread acknowledgement that the activity is still hazardous.  As the author explains, the acceptability of this habit could very soon become a thing of the past if a proposed ban on hands-free texting gets past the Assembly Appropriations Committee tomorrow.  Another citizen wondered about the safety and permissibility of lane splitting by motorcyclists.  As the law currently stands, motorcyclists are allowed to engage in this activity when traffic stands below 30 miles per hour and the motorcycle is going no more than 10 mph over surrounding traffic speeds.

Click here to learn more.

Officials with the state of Utah are concerned about an uptick in the number of motorcycle deaths, but as various sources confirm, that state is not alone.  Numerous trends have contributed to an increase in the number of motorcyclist fatalities across the country, and only time will tell if the risks can be mitigated through various safety efforts.

A new report looks at the phenomenon in greater depth.  32 people died on motorcycles last year, in Utah which is an increase from the 21 fatalities which occurred just two years prior.  This puts Utah in line with 34 other states that confirmed an increase in such deaths.

States cite a host of factors for this increase.  Wisconsin attributes the matter to higher gasoline prices that tend to push people toward motorcycles.  Missouri pointed to a burgeoning economy that allows more people to spend money on things like motorcycles, while Indiana looks to hotter temperatures as the reason for an uptick.

But these are all environmental and socioeconomic factors, and the director of the Highway Safety Program of Tennessee points to three other concerns that riders have more control over.  A failure to wear a helmet can drastically increase the chance that the rider will die when they crash, and going beyond the speed limit creates a greater likelihood of a crash.  Another contributor?  Alcohol consumption prior to a ride.

The Department of Public Safety asks riders to take a proper training course, and here in California, that’s not a bad idea either.  Figure out where such a course is available in your area.

The threat of a burn associated with a piece of clothing has prompted the recall of that item, and because there have already been two incidents reports recorded, consumers should follow the directives of this recall at once.  Given the nature of the product, the recall could also have ramifications for highway safety, so please read on to learn more.

The recall was issued by the Stoneville, North Carolina-based Gerbings LLC and concerns heated jacket liners under the Harley Davidson and Gerbings brands.  The black nylon items work by way of being plugged into something like a snowmobile or a motorcycle and then heating up the user.  A total of 9,900 jackets are impacted by the recall, and each would have been sold by various retailers across the country between April 2011 and this past December.

It was discovered that the jacket could heat up to an unsafe degree thanks to a wire connector that suffers a potential defect.  When this overheating occurs, the rider using the jacket liner could suffer burns, a condition which is not only injurious in and of itself, but could lead to focus being taken from the road.  Already, two people have reported experiencing small burns on their backs because of the product.

Owners are being asked to cease riding with this liner as soon as possible.  Affected persons can obtain either a new jacket liner or a refund by getting in touch with Gerbings.

When riding a motorcycle, visibility is key.  You never know when another vehicle operator will be using their cellphone, changing the radio station, or just generally fail to provide their full attention to the road.  As such, it’s imperative that motorcyclists wear bright clothing, avoid blind spots, and make their every maneuver known prior to execution so as to make other drivers aware of their presence and course of action.

The next recall affects visibility, and thus the owners of the motorcycles should take the issue particularly seriously.  Triumph Motorcycles announced the recall, which affects Speed Triple, Street Triple, Tiger 800, and Daytona 675 motorcycles of the 2012 and 2013 model years.  Just under 3,800 motorcycles are impacted by the potential safety issue.

The possible defect stems from a problem which may have occurred during manufacture.  The stems on the turn signals are in danger of fracturing, which could lead to the turn signals not illuminating as they should.  If another automobile operator fails to recognize the intentions of the motorcyclist because of this issue, a crash becomes more of a possibility.

At this point, no word has arrived from Triumph as to when the recall is going to be initiated.  Once it does start, owners can expect to hear from the company.  They’ll be able to bring their motorcycles in to a dealer to obtain free repairs.

Today is officially the start of spring, and although that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ve all seen the end of cold weather until next fall, a greater abundance of warmer days means that more and more motorcycles are going to be on the road.  As such, the police department of Anne Arundel County, Maryland is providing some valuable safety tips to riders.  Before you head out for what could be the first time in months, make sure your motorcycle is still up to the task at hand, and brush up on your own skills in a local parking lot that’s clear of obstacles.  Always wear the appropriate gear, and drive cautiously, recognizing that not everyone will necessarily see you coming.  Drivers for their part can look twice before turning or changing lanes, and they can eliminate distractions from their repertoire.

For more tips, follow this link.

Every day that passes brings us closer and closer to the end of winter, and as such, we’re going to start seeing more motorcycles out on the road.  But as persons pull their bikes out for the first time in what may have been months, it becomes imperative that safety remains a priority.  To that end, riders should check out some of the tips offered up in a press release.

First, one has to make sure that they’re prepared to ride a motorcycle.  You may not think that your skills have suffered in the intervening time since you last rode, but time begets sloppiness.  Take it easy the first couple times you head out.  Don’t attempt any  maneuvers that require expert-level skills.  Perhaps the best way to ensure your skills are where they need to be is by submitting to a training course.  This can help point out deficiencies in your riding, and it has the added benefit of potentially saving you money on your insurance premiums depending on the type of policy you have.

You also want to ensure that your gear is adequate, especially if it’s been in storage since the last time you perched yourself atop your motorcycle.  And even if your equipment is surrounded by other stuff that’s accumulated during the winter, that’s no excuse not to wear the requisite accessories.  A helmet approved by the Department of Transportation is an absolute necessity every time you ride.  But safety shouldn’t end there.  You can protect yourself further by pulling out old or investing in new protective leathers, gloves, shoes, and anything else that can encourage safety at every turn (and straightaway).

The right gear can also improve your ability to be seen by other drivers, who after months of winter may not be accustomed to seeing motorcycles on the road.  Your gear should contain reflective materials, and if it doesn’t, affix some reflective tape to those things that would otherwise be hard to see at night (backpacks, clothing, etc.).  This type of reflective wear should be worn during the day as well, as you never know when you’ll need to pull a distracted driver’s attention to the task at hand.

You can protect yourself further by assuming that the other vehicles still can’t see you.  Take the time to make deliberate lane changes, giving other automobiles ample time to recognize your presence and react accordingly.  Look both ways at intersections, and just generally follow the rules of the road to protect yourself and others.

Finally, consider taking your motorcycle in for a maintenance check.  A qualified mechanic should be able to point out any problems that accrued while your bike was stored for the winter.  This could be the critical step that prevents a potential tragedy down the line.