Motorcycling is a Risky activity!

Even motorcyclists who are skillful and responsible are at high risk when operating and enjoying their motorcycle.

The risk of having a serious injury or fatal mishap on a motorcycle is higher than most other activities we participate in. This is because we conduct this activity on public streets and highways, which are used mostly by cars and other vehicles that are not compatible with motorcycles. Even while at rest, a motorcyclist can experience a fatal collision!

The Facts:

Motorcycles represent about 2 percent of all registered vehicles.
Motorcycles are driven much less than other vehicles. (How many motorcycles have over 100,000 miles?)
Motorcycles account for about 10 percent of all fatalities on our roads.
63% of all crashes involving motorcycles were single vehicle crashes (motorcycle only).
Of those motorcyclists at fault crashes, 81 percent occurred while passing another vehicle or while negotiating a curve.

The majority (82.7 percent) of motorcycle fatal crashes occurred because of the fault of the motorcyclist!

Basic physical skills for control are:

Starting and stopping smoothly.
Adjusting position: Turning (leaning) left and turning (leaning) right.
Adjusting speed: Speeding up and slowing down.
Emergency skills: Quick stops (stopping efficiently). Swerving (quickly turning).

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  * We recommend Session 1, “Getting Started, an Introduction to Beginning Motorcycling”, *
  * be completed before you consider riding any motorcycle.                                                   *
  *                                                                                                                                          *
  * We recommend Session 3, “Combination Skills” be completed                                         *
  * before you have your first motorcycle ride on the street.                                                     *
  **********************************************************************

Some Intermediate physical skills are:

|Low speed tight turns.| Low speed stability.
Riding with passengers.
Riding on freeways. (High speed and in traffic.)
Riding at night.

Managing Risk while participating in a risky activity:

Recognize the risks.
Eliminate the unecessary risks!

Updated 03.08.08 |What about Licensing?|