Motorcyclists and their passengers are more exposed to serious injuries in the event of an accident than motorists. The overhead covers in cars help shield motorists against flying objects and reduce impact in an accident. Unfortunately, motorcycles are not built with overhead covers, riders must follow certain guidelines to ensure they’re safe.
You might want to consider the safety of your passenger if you’re inviting a friend to ride along with you because you might be liable for their injuries supposing an accident occurs. A Bakersfield car accident lawyer can help you understand you’re the legal aspects related to motorcycles, such as safety guidelines in your state, your obligations towards passengers, among others.
Responsibilities of Motorcyclists and Passengers
Both the riders and their passenger have a role to play to ensure they’re safe. So, what’s the responsibility of riders?
- The Rider Must Have a Riding Experience
A motorcyclist must be competent with enough experience to carry passengers and handle challenges that might occur while carrying the passenger. The rider should consider several factors before carrying another person, such as the weight of the passenger, weather conditions, distance to be covered, among others. For instance, the rider must ensure the tires and suspensions can handle the extra weight and make adjustments if necessary. Most motorcycles can handle additional weight while others can’t; check the weight capacity of your motorbike from the manual.
- Additional Weight Impacts Performance
Your bike’s performance will be impacted by the additional weight. For instance, acceleration might require more power and fuel consumption, and braking or bringing the bike to a stop will take longer than when you’re riding alone. Your balancing skills will also be tested particularly when making sharp turns–which might be tricky if your passenger is inexperienced. You might need to ride at lower speeds than what you’re used to when riding alone.
- Provision of Safety Gear
Motorcyclists must ensure that their passengers wear helmets although it’s not a requirement in the California motorcycle laws. Wearing a helmet is for the passenger’s good but most people consider them irritating. A helmet has many benefits to the wearer, including protection from flying particles, protection against the wind that could cause respiratory-related illnesses, among others.
The helmet should fit the wearer; big enough for comfort yet tight enough to avoid sliding off on impact. Confirm if the helmet is ideal for your passenger by trying to pull it off from the back after the passenger puts it on. If the helmet slides off, then it’s too big. Other motorcycle safety gear for passengers include goggles, leather jackets & pants, and boots.
- Coaching a Novice Passenger
Your companion will need some preparation especially if they’re new to bikes. The passenger should know among other things, embarking & alighting, balancing, keeping their body from the exhaust to avoid burn injuries, and responding to emergencies.
- Preparing the Passenger Mentally
It is important to inform the passenger what to expect from their ride, particularly for people who have never ridden motorbikes. You can take the passenger a short introductory ride to help them sample how riding on a motorcycle feels. The passenger might be scared at first but they eventually get the hang of it.
You must also remember to train the passenger on communicating while riding. Helmets fitted with a blue-tooth will come in handy in this case helmets and will simplify the communication. You could also use hand signals if there is no other way of communicating.
The Passenger’s Role
Passengers must also be proactive to safeguard their safety; motorcycle accident fatalities occur more frequently than most people think. You may have many questions if you’re new to motorbikes but you shouldn’t hesitate to ask them–the answers to those questions could be your saving grace in the event of an accident. Some of the questions to ask the rider can be about:
- The motorcyclist’s riding experience;
- Responding to emergencies;
- The rider’s obligations towards the passenger.
If you would be the first one, stay off the bike! Do not let them practice with you.
Ensure you understand everything, including how to communicate & balance your body to be fully prepared for the ride. Remember running your hand around the rider’s waist helps you balance your body.
The Role of Accident Attorneys
You can still be involved in a motorcycle accident even after obeying the motorcycle safety guidelines – the negligence of another party can result in an accident. If your injuries of a rider resulted from the negligence of another party, you should consult an accident lawyer to begin the compensation process. On the other hand, a passenger can file a claim against the rider or their insurer for injuries.
The first step towards motorcycle safety starts with obeying motorcycle laws and safety guidelines– the motorcyclist has a bigger role to play to ensure their passengers are safe.
Hi, I am Adam Smith, Admin Of TechSketcher, Creative blogger and Digital Marketer.