While traveling on your motorcycle, you may decide to bring passengers along for the ride. It is important to understand that your passengers are at just as much risk of injury as you are as the driver. Fortunately, there are valuable safety tips that can be shared with your passengers to help reduce the risk of an accident or injury.
What should you tell your passengers before taking them for a ride on your motorcycle?
Consider these tips:
Wear appropriate clothing to provide protection in the event of a crash. This may include a helmet, footwear, durable pants, an abrasion resistant jacket, gloves, and eye protection.
Dress properly for the weather, but don’t compromise safety to do so. In other words, do not wear minimal clothing even on hot summer days since that will leave skin more exposed to potential injury.
Make sure that the helmet is securely fastened and fits properly. The helmet should fit snugly, without being able to twist around the head. The straps should be pulled as tight as possible.
Do not attempt to mount the motorcycle until the passenger foot pegs are down.
Stay clear of hot exhaust pipes. It is important to know where these pipes are located on the bike and to make sure that legs do not make contact when mounting or dismounting the bike. Doing so can result in a severe burn injury, even when wearing protective pants.
Always wait for the driver to say it is ok to mount or dismount the motorcycle. If the driver is not aware that a passenger is mounting or dismounting, the weight may change on the bike, which could cause an accident.
Keep feet on the passenger foot pegs while riding on the motorcycle. It is important to avoid bringing the feet into contact with the rear wheel, the drive chain, the belt, or the hot muffler.
Keep hands on the driver’s hips while the motorcycle is moving, and keep your weight centered over the motorcycle. Trying to move around can affect the balance of the bike.
When turning, look over the driver’s shoulder in the direction of the turn. This will automatically put body weight where it belongs. Never learn out of a turn since this can cause an accident.
Stay alert at all times and be prepared for potential dangers. Passengers may need to hang on or hold themselves back if they anticipate the need for sudden breaking. Passengers may also need to be prepared for a sudden lean and change of direction. Keeping alert can help a passenger spot animals or debris on the road, or other hazards that the driver should be made aware of.
Seeking legal representation after a motorcycle accident? We encourage you to contact an Atlanta motorcycle accident lawyer at Kaufman Law, P.C. for a free case review.