Unrealistic Motorcycle Safety Myths to Ignore
The statistics about how helmets save lives are staggering. Wearing a helmet has been shown to reduce the chance of death by 37% and brain injuries by 69%. Motorcycle riding can be dangerous, but if you wear a helmet while riding your chances of surviving an accident greatly increase.
The most common motorcycle safety myth is that helmets offer no protection against anything but skull fractures (which they do). Helmets protect riders from serious brain injuries as well as other types of head trauma, which can happen even if you stay inside the law and limit your speed to 50 miles per hour. Here are some other myths concerning motorcycle safety:
1. Laying your bike down will slow your speed enough to avoid a crash
Not true. In fact, in most cases the opposite is true; when crashing on pavement, motorcycles can initially gain speed before coming to a stop because of the friction between tires and asphalt. Laying down the motorcycle may also lead to injury as it’s much more difficult for riders wearing heavy gear. It’s always better to stay upright if possible!
2. Good riders never need to practice with a new bike
If you’re a motorcyclist, chances are good that you’ve heard the myth that good riders never need to practice with a new bike. I’m here today to tell you that this is not true! A rider who rides often will typically develop their idiosyncratic riding style over time, which can lead to difficulty adapting to a new motorcycle. This might be due in part to how different motorcycles handle differently, or even just from changes in weight distribution between the front and rear wheels.Lane splitting is always a safe practice
3. Lane Splitting Is Always a Safe Practice
Lane splitting, or passing on the left side of vehicles traveling in the same direction, has been debated for years and even though studies have shown that it can be safe when done correctly, many riders still believe that lane splitting is dangerous because some don’t understand how to do it safely. Stay in your lane and be aware of what is going on around you, especially if there are cars behind you or coming from side streets. Only move between lanes when traffic is clear and never go over 50 miles an hour when moving between lanes.
4. Full-face helmets block peripheral vision and impair hearing
Many riders believe that full-face helmets block peripheral vision and impair hearing, but this is a myth. Full-face helmets allow for complete peripheral vision and have no impact on the rider’s ability to hear clearly. Many motorcyclists are surprised by how well they can see while wearing a helmet because of the large viewing area and unobstructed field of view from their eyewear.
5. Slow streets are safer
It’s a common misconception that slower streets are safer. This is not true! The faster you go, the more stable your bike becomes. When you’re driving with other cars on the road and they’re going fast, it can be tough to steer your motorcycle around them and stay in control. At low speeds on residential roads where there are no other vehicles around, it’s easy for drivers to lose their balance.
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