FIVE KEYS TO AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT
Motorcyclists lose in accidents. The only question is, what will be lost? Sometimes, not very often, it’s only motorcycle damage. More often, it’s skin & blood, or worse yet, an arm or maybe a leg. Sometimes, it’s their life. These Keys to Safety may help you avoid being in an accident.

KEY #1 RIDE AHEAD OF YOUR BIKE!
All motorcyclists know to allow 2 or more seconds of safety margin between themselves and the vehicle in front of them. However, riders should develop the additional practice of looking ahead 15 seconds (visibility permitting) and anticipating what might affect them, thus increasing time to safely react. At highway speed, 15 seconds is a quarter of a mile!

KEY #2 BE AWARE OF EVERYTHING AROUND YOU
Sometimes this is called situational awareness. In addition to watching traffic all around you, pay attention to intersections ahead with possible cross traffic, or driveways when a motorist backing out, or vehicles on the side of road which might pull out in front of you, bicyclists ahead, water puddle on the road which could cause hydroplaning, to name a few things which could become hazards. Increased awareness can provide you with increased reaction time to avoid a hazard.

KEY #3 KEEP UP YOUR SCAN
Develop and practice your eye scan. Check your mirrors every few seconds. Scan your instruments (battery charge, oil pressure, oil temperature) every 10 seconds. Check the sides of the road where trees and underbrush may hide 4 legged critters. Watch for motorists who may be “lost” or may not be sure whether to turn or not.

KEY #4 LEAVE YOURSELF AN ESCAPE
Always give yourself a way to escape a potential threat. Example - riding in heavy traffic with vehicles ahead of you, and alongside another vehicle (..especially a big truck!) with another vehicle close behind you on a two lane highway is like riding in a moving box. There’s no way to escape a sudden threat such as a vehicle suddenly cutting in front of you, or an accident in front of you, or a critter jumping into the roadway. Keep a way out at all times. Slow down to create space in front, move on around the vehicle to your side, whatever you can safely do to avoid being trapped with nowhere to go if there is a sudden threat.

KEY #5 ENHANCE YOUR VISIBILITY
Unfortunately, motorcycles sometimes simply do not register in the vision/mind of many motorists. The motorcycle is plainly visible but often the driver of the automobile may not really “see it”. Riders need to take proactive steps to be seen. Make eye contact with motorists. Flash high beam lights if the situation requires. Move left or right in your lane, safety margin permitting, to create motion which may be more noticeable to motorists.