Motorcycle Safety - Make Yourself Conspicuous

Content of this page courtesy of High-Viz.org

Why Go High-Viz?

Ask any rider, and they will probably tell you their biggest safety concern is being cut off, run over, or otherwise violated by another driver in traffic. It’s a constant, serious threat.

However, as a rider, you can take control of the situation by making yourself as highly visible (conspicuous) as possible. Doing so will reduce the number of surprises you face every day and help you avoid getting blindsided by someone else’s last-minute decision.

Introduction

Most riders would agree that their goal is to enjoy their bikes and make it home safely. Being high-viz will make that job easier. About half of all motorcycle crashes involve a collision with another vehicle. In many crashes, the driver never saw the motorcyclist - or didn't see him or her until it was too late. There are many reasons why other drivers do not see motorcyclists.

• Most car drivers aren't familiar with motorcycles, so they don't think to look for them in traffic.
• Motorcycle riders typically wear dark colors and can easily blend into the background and "disappear."
• Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles, so they are more difficult to spot in traffic and can be hidden by other vehicles or roadside features.
• Daytime headlight use does not give motorcycle riders much of an advantage anymore, due to the widespread use of daytime running lights on cars.
• The smaller size and single headlight on the motorcycle makes it more difficult for other drivers to judge a rider's speed and distance.

As a rider, the burden is unfortunately on you to do something about being visible. We expect other drivers to watch out for motorcycles in traffic, but because motorcycle riders are so vulnerable, they have the responsibility to make themselves as visible as possible. In a multi-vehicle crash, it's the rider's life-and-limb at stake, so it's the rider who must make the extra effort to stand out in traffic.

Fortunately, making yourself "high-viz" is relatively easy. There are lots of ways to make yourself conspicous in traffic. Conspicuity is the ability of an object to draw attention to itself, even if nobody's actively searching for it. Rider conspicuity, therefore, is the ability of a motorcyclist to draw attention to him- or herself, even though other drivers may not be actively looking for them.

Top 10 High-Viz Tips

These 10 strategies will be most effective at helping you get noticed by other drivers.

1. Fluorescent/Reflective Safety Vest
2. White Helmet
3. Brightly Colored Jacket
4. Strategic Lane Positioning
5. Headlight Modulation
6. Flash Your Taillight
7. Reflective Tape
8. Movement
9. Auxiliary Driving Lights
10. Hand Signals
    

Additional Resources

• HighViz.org - This site offered through the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center has plenty of information and tips on how to make yourself more visible. Quiz yourself to see how visible you are, and what you can do to improve your safety.
• Motorcycle Ohio - Motorcycle Ohio offers training to both novice and experienced riders at a very low cost. Students will get some in-class training and hands on experience. The site also has plenty of great information.
• Motorcycle Safety Foundation - Information on motorcycle safety. They also offer basic rider training at over 1500 locations nationwide. Over 400,000 riders went through their course last year.
• ForCarDrivers.com - Another site by the MSF geared toward non-motorcyclists.

Updated on: May 22, 2008