It’s one of the coolest forms of rebelling against the standards of society; every outlaw rides a bike in the movies. If you’ve ever seen that yellow bumper sticker, you’ll know that motorcycles are everywhere. If you’re a rider yourself, you’re well aware of the dangers of riding a motorcycle — it comes with the territory. As exciting and fun as it is to ride, it’s equally (if not more so) dangerous due to other drivers on the road.

Other drivers are distracted. They barely pay attention to the task at hand. Motorcycles can pop up in an instant. All it takes is a driver who lists lazily into the other lane, having not seen a cyclist riding there, and hitting them. Because of the high speeds and lack of additional safety features that cars have, motorcycle accidents often leave riders with severe injuries; they are also likely to be fatal.

To give yourself a fighting chance to ride safely and to avoid becoming one of many Mississippi motorcycle accident victims, we’ve compiled a quick motorcycle safety checklist for you to follow.

  • Tire pressure: Make sure you have enough, but not too much, air in your tires to avoid blowouts and a smooth ride.
  • Fluids: Top off your oil, brake fluid, and all other fluids so your machine runs properly and doesn’t die out on you at the wrong time.
  • Lights: Visibility is your best friend as a motorcycle rider. Check your lights so that other drivers can see you on the road to avoid a motorcycle accident.
  • Helmet: This should be obvious; protect your head.
  • Protective gear: Suit up with riding pants, jacket, and gloves should the worst occur and you either get knocked off of your bike or if you need to bail and slide.
  • Reflective gear: Just like your lights, make sure that other drivers can see you with reflective gear. Anything to make yourself more visible can only help you.
  • Horn: Sometimes drivers may not be able to see you in time; make sure they can hear you.
  • Brakes: You don’t want to have a hard time coming to a complete stop when you need to. Make sure your brakes are in order.
  • Battery: A dying or dead battery means your bike isn’t going anywhere – and that can be dangerous.
  • Drive where cars can see you, don’t hide in the middle: Stay out of their blind spots; people drift into other lanes all the time without looking; you don’t want to be there when they do.

Mississippi motorcycle accidents are sadly a bit too common. You can be seriously injured – even if you take all the necessary precautions. If you are involved in a motorcycle accident, call our offices to speak with a Gulfport motorcycle accident attorney so that we can investigate the accident and protect your rights. We may even be able to seek compensation for your damages. Call us now for more information.