Motorcycle Safety
Overview
Motorcyclist deaths occurred 28 times more frequently than fatalities in other vehicles, based on 2016 fatal crash data. To keep motorcyclists safe, we urge everyone to share the road and be alert, and we're reminding motorcyclists to make themselves visible, to use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets, and to always ride sober.
Motorist Awareness
Safe riding practices and cooperation from all road users will help reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on our nation’s highways. But it’s especially important for motorists to understand the safety challenges faced by motorcyclists such as size and visibility, and motorcycle riding practices like downshifting and weaving to know how to anticipate and respond to them. By raising motorists’ awareness, both drivers and riders will be safer sharing the road.
In this section, you’ll find educational material for motorists and motorcyclists—guidance on how to safely interact with motorcyclists and information on getting a motorcycle license, operating your motorcycle, making sure it’s safe, wearing the right protective gear, and riding your motorcycle responsibly.
Motorcyclist Safety
If you ride a motorcycle, you already know how much fun riding can be. You understand the exhilaration of cruising the open road and the challenge of controlling a motorcycle. But motorcycling also can be dangerous. The latest data on vehicle miles traveled shows that motorcyclists are about 28 times as likely as passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash. Safe motorcycling takes balance, coordination, and good judgment. Here are some ways to ensure that you'll be around to enjoy riding your motorcycle for many years to come.
Road Ready
Make Sure You Are Properly Licensed
Driving a car and riding a motorcycle require different skills and knowledge. Although motorcycle-licensing regulations vary, all States require a motorcycle license endorsement to supplement your automobile driver's license. To receive the proper endorsement in most States, you'll need to pass written and on-cycle skills tests administered by your State's licensing agency. Some States require you to take a State-sponsored rider education course. Others waive the on-cycle skills test if you've already taken and passed a State-approved course. Either way, completing a motorcycle rider education course is a good way to ensure you have the correct instruction and experience it takes to ride a motorcycle. Contact your state motor vehicle administration to find a motorcycle rider-training course near you.
“Twenty-seven percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2016 were riding without valid motorcycle licenses.”
Source: 2018 Traffic Safety Facts: 2016 Motorcycle Data
Practice Operating Your Motorcycle
Given the fact that motorcycles vary in handling and responsiveness, be sure to take the time to get accustomed to the feel of a new or unfamiliar motorcycle by riding it in a controlled area. Once you feel comfortable with your bike, you can take it into traffic. Make sure you know how to handle your motorcycle in a variety of conditions (e.g., inclement weather or encountering hazards such as slick roads, potholes, and road debris). If you plan to carry cargo or a passenger, be prepared to make adjustments to the tires, suspension, and placement of the load.
Be Sure Your Motorcycle is Safe
Before every ride, you should check the tire pressure and tread depth, hand and foot brakes, headlights and signal indicators, and fluid levels. You should also check under the motorcycle for signs of oil or gas leaks. If you're carrying cargo, you should secure and balance the load on the cycle; and adjust the suspension and tire pressure to accommodate the extra weight. If you're carrying a passenger, he or she should mount the motorcycle only after the engine has started; should sit as far forward as possible, directly behind you; and should keep both feet on the foot rests at all times, even when the motorcycle is stopped. Remind your passenger to keep his or her legs and feet away from the muffler. Tell your passenger to hold on firmly to your waist, hips, or belt; keep movement to a minimum; and lean at the same time and in the same direction as you do. Do not let your passenger dismount the motorcycle until you say it is safe.
On the Road
Wear the Proper Protection
If you're ever in a serious motorcycle crash, the best hope you have for protecting your brain is a motorcycle helmet. Always wear a helmet meeting the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218. Look for the DOT symbol on the outside back of the helmet. That is the manufacturer's way of certifying the helmet meets the DOT standard. A certified helmet also will have a permanent inside label identifying the manufacturer and providing information about the care and use of the helmet.
- Helmets meeting FMVSS 218 weigh around three pounds; have a thick polystyrene-foam lining; and sturdy chinstraps.
- ANSI or Snell labels are voluntary indicators of helmet quality.
- Don't leave your helmet behind on short trips because it could be a deadly mistake.
- Some motorcycle helmets, in addition to offering protection to your head in a crash, include plastic face shields that offer protection from wind, rain, insects, dust, and stones thrown up from cars. If your helmet doesn't have a face shield, be sure you wear goggles because eyeglasses won't keep your eyes from watering, and can easily fall off.
Arms and legs should be completely covered when riding a motorcycle, ideally by wearing leather or heavy denim. In addition to providing protection in a crash, protective gear also helps prevent dehydration. Boots or shoes should be high enough to cover your ankles, while gloves allow for a better grip and help protect your hands in the event of a crash. Wearing brightly colored clothing with reflective material will make you more visible to other vehicle drivers.
Ride Responsibly
Experienced riders know local traffic laws - and they don't take risks. Obey traffic lights, signs, speed limits, and lane markings; ride with the flow of traffic and leave plenty of room between your bike and other vehicles; and always check behind you and signal before you change lanes. Remember to ride defensively. The majority of multi-vehicle motorcycle crashes generally are caused when other drivers simply didn't see the motorcyclist. Proceed cautiously at intersections and yield to pedestrians and other vehicles as appropriate. You can increase your visibility by applying reflective materials to your motorcycle and by keeping your motorcycle's headlights on at all times, even using high beams during the day.
Be Alcohol and Drug Free
Alcohol and drugs, including some prescribed medications, negatively affect your judgment, coordination, balance, throttle control, and ability to shift gears. These substances also impair your alertness and reduce your reaction time. Even when you're fully alert, it's impossible to predict what other vehicles or pedestrians are going to do. Therefore, make sure you are alcohol and drug free when you get on your motorcycle. Otherwise, you'll be heading for trouble.
“Twenty-five percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes in 2016 were alcohol-impaired—more than drivers of any other vehicle type (21% passenger car drivers; 20% light truck drivers; 2% large truck drivers).”
Source: 2018 Traffic Safety Facts: 2016 Motorcycle Data
NHTSA is dedicated to promoting safe behaviors on our nation’s roads
Per vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists are about 28 times more likely than people in passenger cars to die in a traffic crash. Motorcyclists continue to be overrepresented in traffic-related fatalities, accounting for 14 percent of all traffic-related fatalities, while representing only 3 percent of the entire registered motor vehicle fleet.
For these reasons, NHTSA is dedicated to promoting safe behaviors of motorcyclists and other motorists, as spelled out in our Motorcycle Safety 5-Year Plan and demonstrated by our public awareness campaigns like Share the Road, and Stop Impaired Riding.
Motorcycle Safety Campaigns
Resources
Search for more resources
Title | Type | Audience | Date | Language |
---|---|---|---|---|
Motorcycle Helmet Surveys PDF, 697.03 KB |
Document | 09/19/2018 | ||
June 18 Is Motorcycle and Scooter Ride to Work Day |
Press Release | 06/15/2018 | ||
USDOT Releases 2016 Fatal Traffic Crash Data |
Press Release | Advocacy Groups | 10/06/2017 | |
Summary of Vehicle Occupant Protection and Motorcycle Laws - 12th Edition PDF, 2.75 MB |
Document | Car Buyers | 04/01/2015 | |
Summary of Vehicle Occupant Protection and Motorcycle Laws, Eleventh Edition PDF, 1.57 MB |
Document | Advocacy Groups | 11/01/2013 | |