Last updated on – Jan 04, 2017

Who doesn’t like to speed up and talk to the winds. The thrill that riding motorcycles provide is incomparable. Even the luxurious sedan cannot replace the kick that comes with motorbike riding. It not only satisfies the adventurous person inside you, but is also light on your pockets. In the fuel economy context, the bikes are quite preferable in comparison to some huge displacement vehicles. Bike riding on highways adds an extra thrill to the adventure and offers great experience.

With so many positive things attached, motorcycles are such a hit thing these days that one in every three person owns it. Usually people don’t prefer highways but would take country roads to travel but sometimes Highways become unavoidable.

As it is rightly said,”Prevention is better than cure” , keeping in mind following points can keep mishap at bay, especially on Highways.

Before Starting a Ride

A self quick check of the motorcycle can save you from having a hard time. It is very important to double check the brakes, horn, lights, indicators, chain, shaft , belt and especially the tires as improperly inflated tires can increase the safety risks, before starting a ride.

Wear High Visibility Clothes To Get Noticed

These are the clothes with highly reflective colours. Not all accidents happen because it was the fault of the driver, on highways chances are high that you can get caught in accidents even without your fault. At night or in darker areas, it is quite normal that you get unnoticed by a four wheeler which is coming in a very high speed. Wearing light coloured clothes at that time can prevent major accidents from happening.

Avoid Bad Weather Conditions

Riding on highway in normal weather conditions is itself so risky, that one can easily understand the degree of risk associated with harsh weather during rains, the roads become slippery which eventually weakens the grip of the tires on road. Rains can also affect visibility and lead to accidents. Accident count just get doubled during rains. Riding should be completely avoided during rains until and unless it’s an emergency. Fog is another problem when it comes to riding. Fog blocks your vision and you cant see distant objects. You might miss a small piece of rock in your way or a car coming from opposite direction. Nothing major can be done to deal with fog apart from checking the dipped beam, which should be properly adjusted and having a presence of mind while riding.

Recommended: Solved! Motorbike Starting Trouble in Monsoons

Wear Right Gear

Jeans, T-shirts, slippers etc are a big No while riding bikes on highways. Riding on highways cannot be taken casually. Here the speed reaches to its maximum(NO SPEED LIMIT!). Imagine the impact of collision when you get hit by a very high speed SUV, so wearing gear is very crucial. It will not only prevent fatal accidents but will also protect during harsh weather. At high speed, the force with which wind bangs you is unbearable and can be quite distracting. A loose T-shirt will not be able to hold you during that time.

Right gear includes jacket with rugged padding (especially designed for bikers to provide protection as well as ventilation during hot summer days), gloves, shoes, a good quality helmet etc.

Read Also: Safety First: Motorcycle Riding Outfits from Head to Toe

Avoid Road Rage

Don’t let yourself in the fight of any kind. Whatsoever be the case, remember you are the weaker one, so bound to lose! There are cases when heavy vehicles do not give you space, they try to tailgate you. If a driver is not giving you space, instead of losing cool, use your brake lights or wave your hands to give the vehicle behind you a signal to back off. If he still do not understand, try to change the lane but whatever you do, remember not to do a brake check!

Say No to Music

These days most people are in a habit of using earphones while riding a two wheeler. Music can prove risky especially on highways where speed is no limit. Sounds of vehicles honking behind you, signals of fellow riders may get unnoticed in the midst of you favorite song. So prefer not to use earphones while riding. It’s dangerous.

Eyes Everywhere, and Not Just on Roads

When you are too focused only on roads, sometimes your peripheral vision ignores anything else that is present there. This is called Motion Induced Blindness. So a goat or a villager trying to cross a road gets in to your notice only when they are mere few feets away. In that case any one is bound to get anxious and any mishap can happen.

To avoid this what you can do is distract your vision from the road for 1 sec in intervals. You can look at any distinct tree, a car coming from opposite direction , a fellow rider etc. By doing this your eyes will have an idea of everything in front of them.

Feeling Drowsy?

Just STOP: Feeling sleepy and tired in a long journey is quite normal. But continuing riding without taking rest can be highly dangerous. Immediately STOP when you are feeling that you are losing focus on road. Splash some water on your face, take a few sips , do some stretching or ask someone else to ride if you are travelling in a group. It’s okay if it delays your journey by few minutes, but safety is the foremost thing here!

Be Proactive

It is important to observe fellow riders road sense and riding skills. This will help during adverse situations and will give the confidence to act pro-actively to avoid any accidents.

To Conclude: One can not 100% avoid accidents, there is always a chance for accidents but keeping in mind above mentioned points and a little presence of mind while riding can reduce the amount of severity and make your highway ride a pleasant one!

Must Read: 63 Traffic Safety Signs and Their Meanings in India