“She/he came out of nowhere!”

One of the main reasons for car-motorcycle collisions is that the car driver didn’t notice the motorcycle. In keeping with Motorcycle Awareness Month, here are some ways to catch car driver’s attention and help yourself be seen, before an incident occurs.

1. Wear riding gear that includes bright, reflective colors, especially on your upper body. Even reflective piping on jackets and gloves helps.
2. Ride with confidence. Let the car driver know you’re there.
3. Use hand signals in addition to your bike’s turn indicators. The movement increases your likelihood of catching the other driver’s attention.
4. Wear a high quality reflective vest. I wear one almost exclusively and it’s amazing how many times I’ve noticed it catching attention.
5. Tap your brake light when slowing, even if you use your engine compression to scrub speed. It’s a visual alert to the driver behind you.
6. Make sure your lights are all working, large and bright enough to be readily seen and nothing is obscuring them.
7. Position yourself in the lane where you can best be seen. Don’t drive in blind spots – especially think of this when you’re riding behind/beside a transport truck.
8. Wear a bright, single colored helmet. A fluorescent one is best if you can find it. Multi-colored patterns may actually make you less obvious because they blend into the surroundings.
9. Use your horn to get attention quickly. A quick beep may wake someone up.
10. Add additional strips of reflective tape to saddlebags, helmet, backrests.

Bonus: Be prepared. Constantly scan your environment, identify potential hazards and be prepared to take evasive action. Use your mirrors at stops, lane changes, when you slow down, especially if you slow down quickly. Once you’ve stopped, follow that up with a good shoulder check on both sides.