Safety Tips for Two-Wheeler Owners 10th May 2021
Are you passionate about your ride? Own a bike, scooter, or a moped? The thought of gearing up for a long ride or a short spin around the city can be truly refreshing. Especially, when you have a vehicle that provides you with the opportunity to avoid jams and cruise through the traffic.
Today, two-wheelers are the most popular and convenient means of travel for everyday commuters. However, it’s not only about the fun in riding; a rider has to be responsible too! This piece guides you through essential safety tips for your spin in the city or the highways. Let’s get started!
Crucial Safety Tips to Follow When Riding a Two Wheeler:
● Wear a helmet before riding: Wear a helmet, no matter how bad you think it looks. A helmet is the first defense when it comes to a road accident. It protects your skull and the brain and prevents you from getting fatally injured. Helmet usage is linked to a decreased number of fatalities in road accidents. In India, it is mandatory for all passengers on a two-wheeler to wear helmets.
● Maintain your ride’s weight: Make sure not to overload your two-wheeler with more than two people. A two-wheeler is short and meant to transport a maximum of two people. Overloading causes misbalance and leads to accidents like the bike skidding or falling over to its side. Also, ensure that both the persons on the two-wheeler are wearing a helmet.
● Stay alert & focused: Ride your two-wheeler with an active mind. Be in full cognizance of the movement of other vehicles, traffic lights, people, and stray animals around you. Make sure to eliminate any other sources of distractions such as music from the earphones or the speaker. Avoid talking to someone on the phone while on a two-wheeler. In case you are feeling preoccupied or sleepy, choose a mode of public transport.
● Avoid riding in harsh weathers: We strongly recommend you to avoid riding a two-wheeler under hailstorms or heavy rainfall. When you ride in such weather, there are high chances of accidents as the roads are majorly blurry for almost every driver on the road.
● Apply your brakes carefully: Be careful while applying brakes. The sudden application of brakes while the bike is still speeding can cause it to throw the rider off due to inertia. Make sure to apply the brakes only after slowing down.
Some Other ‘Safety’ tools of a responsible rider
A responsible vehicle owner shouldn’t only be riding responsibly but also invest in tools to protect their ride. A good two-wheeler vehicle insurance policy should be the first choice of a smart vehicle owner. Having an acceptable insurance policy for your motorbike is like having a companion that would bear the financial load in case of accidents. Remember, the roads are uncertain, and so are accidents!
Other important safety tips:
● Make judicious use of the rearview mirror to keep track of the traffic
● Do not overtake two big vehicles from between
● Do not over-speed
● Do not overtake a vehicle near a divider
● Use your hands to signal
● Use headlights at night
● In case of slow-moving traffic, make sure to stick to a side
● Maintain a safe distance
● Keep a track of your speed perception
● Make sure to observe the surface of the road ahead
● Wear a jacket and gloves if it’s cold and use your helmet’s windbreaker to keep the wind out of your eyes
As the traditional wisdom goes “it is better to be safe than sorry”.
Conclusion
While these were some comprehensive tips around riding, sometimes, the cause of fatality can be your motorbike itself. Therefore, ensure that you make it a thumb rule to maintain your bike and get it serviced, as and when advised by the service centers.
Besides staying safe on the road and driving responsibly, ensure that you are updated with your two wheeler insurance policy. In a situation when you fail to clear your dues, even the best