What if your best college semester suddenly turned into your worst?
This happens every year for young college students who ride their motorcycles to campus. When these drivers don’t follow the best motorcycle safety tips, they get hurt or even killed. This is something even the best motorcycle insurance can’t protect you from.
College towns can be far more dangerous to drive in than you might imagine. To help keep you safe, keep reading to discover our college student safety tips for motorcycle drivers.
1. Always Wear a Helmet in Georgia to Stay Safe – and Legal
One of the best motorcycle safety tips is also the simplest. Whenever you go for a ride, you need to wear a helmet, which must have the proper protective eyewear or a face shield.
Helmets are important because they can protect you in a crash, and motorcycles are likelier to be involved in a wreck. Keep in mind that in the event of a crash, helmets prevent 37% of motorcycle drivers and 41% of motorcycle passengers from unwanted fatalities.
On top of that, helmets are legally required for motorcyclists in Georgia. Investing in a good helmet now may help you avoid getting a ticket.
2. Find the Safest Motorcycle Routes for Georgia Riders
As a college student, your most common destination will be the college campus. Therefore, one of our top college student safety tips is to find the best and safest route to the campus.
This may be very different from the routes you take when you drive or walk to the campus. For example, you may want to find a route that has minimal traffic as well as minimal traffic lights and stop signs.
Once you find your preferred route, practice driving it a few times. This will give you the familiarity with the route you need to avoid an unwanted accident.
3. Invest in Reflective Gear Before Riding in Georgia
Always wear reflective gear when you drive. Night and day, reflective gear improves other drivers’ visibility of you on the road.
Reflective gear is important for all motorcycle riders, but it’s particularly important for college students. This is because the party atmosphere of many campuses means an increased risk of encountering drunk drivers. These drivers’ perceptions will be impaired and they are likelier to hit you. You may be able to avoid that by wearing reflective gear before each ride.
4. Always Check the Georgia Forecast before Riding
One thing you should always do before you take a ride is to check the forecast. That is because inclement and extreme weather can put you in serious danger!
For example, rain is more than just an annoyance for motorcycle riders. It reduces your traction and visibility, making it far likelier that you get into an accident. And rain is a frequent visitor in Georgia. Hail, ice, and snow may be less common, but are still occasional issues that can put you in similar danger.
The safest choice for you is to avoid riding in these weather conditions. If the Georgia forecast in your area looks bad, consider getting a ride from a friend or taking a university bus to get to the campus.
5. Visually Inspect Your Bike Before Every Ride
Good motorcycle insurance helps to protect you in the event of an accident, but it’s best to avoid accidents altogether. One way you can do this is to visually inspect your motorcycle before you take it for a ride in Georgia.
To do this, all you have to do is take a walk around the bike. Make sure nothing is leaking and that no bolts are loose. Once a week, you need to check the tire pressure and the level of your coolant and hydraulic fluids.
With regular inspection, you can ensure your motorcycle is safe before you even drive to campus!
6. Be Aware of Blind Spots (Yours and Theirs) While Riding Your Bike in Georgia
To a motorcyclist, blind spots are always dangerous. To account for your own blind spot, you need to look over your shoulder before you stop, change lanes, or even move away from other vehicles on the road.
Keep in mind that other drivers also have blind spots. To account for this, always remain alert, and try to use non-verbal communication techniques such as eye contact. Above all else, you can protect against the blind spots of other drivers and keep your bike from getting destroyed by focusing on defensive driving.
7. Focus on Defensive Driving Whether on Your Bike or In Your Car
We’ve already covered some aspects of defensive driving, including wearing reflective clothing and sticking to familiar routes. But there are a few more techniques you can practice to stay safe whenever you drive to and from campus in Georgia.
First, actively monitor your mirrors to anticipate major traffic changes. Try to maintain a good, safe speed, and make sure you are confident when doing everything from braking to speeding up.
Above all else, you need to be aware that other Georgia drivers can make sudden, impulsive moves at any point. When you maintain confident control of your own vehicle while actively monitoring other drivers for erratic behavior, you can stay safe out on the road.
8. What to Do Before Having Passengers on Your Motorcycle
When you drive a motorcycle in college, it is common that others will ask for a ride. This could be anyone, ranging from classmates who need a ride to your best friend who just wants a joyride.
However, there are a few things you need to do before taking on passengers. First, make sure that you have a spare helmet and other riding gear to keep your passengers safe.
Second, make sure your passengers know what to do (and what not to do). For example, they should never wiggle, and they need to sit close to the driver. Passengers also need to brace themselves for stops and stay in line with the leaning angle of the bike when you take corners.
With the right gear and knowledge, your Georgia passengers can stay safe while still having fun!