Motorcycle Safety In Myrtle Beach
The annual Myrtle Beach Bike Week and Atlantic Beach Bikefest brought thousands of bikers through our Myrtle Beach area and provided a great opportunity to raise awareness about safe motorcycle riding practices. As the summer season gets back into full swing again and with nicer weather here to stay, more motorcycles will be out on the road. While we don’t service motorcycles here at C&G Auto, we feel it’s important to recognize motorcycle safety so motorists can share the road a little easier here in Myrtle Beach this summer.
Motorcyclists already know how much fun riding a motorcycle can be, but it can also be very dangerous. According to a vehicle mile travel data report, motorcyclists are 27x more likely to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash as well as 6x more likely to be injured than a passenger in a car.Most multi-vehicle motorcycle accidents are caused because other drivers simply never saw the motorcyclist so it’s imperative that bike riders remember to drive defensively to stay alert. Motorcycle drivers can increase their visibility by wearing reflective materials or applying them onto their bike. Another recommended tactic is to keep motorcycle headlights on at all times, including using high beams during daylight hours.
Otherwise obvious, motorcyclists need to stay constantly cautious of their surroundings especially at intersections and yield to other vehicles and pedestrians as appropriate. Riders, no matter how experienced should always educate themselves on local traffic laws and obey all traffic lights, signs, markings and speeds. Always check behind you andsignal before you change lanes, just as you would in an automobile because often times motorcyclists will have better awareness of the bigger traffic companions around them than vice versa.
By raising all motorists’ awareness, both riders and drivers will be safer sharing the road together, which will in turn help reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on our nation’s highways. It’s important for automobile operators to recognize and understand the safety challenges faced by motorcyclists like their size and visibility as well as their riding practices like downshifting and weaving to create better anticipation and response in various traffic scenarios. Safe riding takes balance, coordination and good judgment – from everyoneon the road.
Safe cruising this season!