Ride to arrive Safely

A motorcyclist is one of the most vulnerable road users there are no seatbelts, airbags or side impact bars to protect them. Both riders and drivers can make motorcycling safer by following Safedrive Africa Foundation NGO for road safety advice below.

Advice for motorcyclists

The key thing that will help keep you safe is your attitude. If your safety is the most important thing to you it will influence your attitude on every ride and the way you perceive and deal with any hazards on the road.

• Expect the unexpected
• Be seen
• Ride with your headlight on dipped beam
• Adjust your speed - give yourself time to react
• Take extra care when filtering through traffic as drivers may not always be aware of you
• Remember that drivers have difficulty judging the speed of your bike
• Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front
• Plan ahead when approaching junctions
• Be aware of vehicles approaching from a side road
• Be prepared to stop and take evasive action
• A driver emerging from a junction cannot give way to you if you cannot be seen, remember you can easily be hidden from their view by a tree, telegraph pole, lamp post etc
• In urban areas look out for vehicles emerging from driveways
• Ensure your speed is appropriate to negotiate a bend without losing control
• Make sure you remember to anticipate hazards which may be concealed by a bend - make sure your speed enables you to be able to stop in time to avoid them
• Ride for the road conditions – remember to adjust your speed
• Be safe - hydrate - dehydration is a hidden danger - it affects your concentration and your reaction times