The Personal Blog Of
Boston Motorcycle Lawyer

Increase Your Visibility for Maximum Motorcycle Safety
August 8, 2009

The Hurt Study, conducted in 1981 and often revisited, such as in the Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly in 2000, is still the most comprehensive motorcycle safety study ever made. A major component of accidents, as identified by the study, is a car driver’s failure to see a motorcycle:

“The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late to avoid the collision.”

A biker’s best bet for increased safety on the road is to be as visible as possible. One way to increase your visibility is by riding with the headlight on during the day. Install a modulator to fluctuate the intensity of the headlight during the day for even greater visibility.

Wearing bright colored clothing also helps, as does wearing a light colored helmet. If you prefer, add reflective material to your helmet and clothing. A reflective vest, such as Xelement’s Tri-Tex Vest, is a good option, especially on rainy or overcast days. You can also add reflective materials to your motorcycle.

Always communicate with motorists and other bikers through the use of turn signals. Canceling turn signals after a turn is just as important as signaling beforehand.

Manually flash the tail light when braking. You can optionally install a modulator that does it automatically, but check your state’s laws beforehand, as there may be restrictions on its use. Add additional brake lights for increased communication.

You can attempt to use the horn to gain a motorist’s attention, but don’t rely on it because he or she may not be able to hear it.

Another way to increase your visibility on the road is by riding where other vehicles can best see you. That means, for example, avoiding blind spots and dangerous maneuvers such as lane splitting and positioning yourself in the lane so drivers can see you in their mirrors.