Keep your Eyes on THE ROAD

The warm weather means more bike and motorcycle riders are on the road. Here are a few tips for riders:
-Use protective gear. A US DOT approved helmet and eye protection can help prevent serious injury. Protective clothing, such as jacket, boots, and gloves reduce injury severity.
-Use turn (or hand) signals for every turn or lane change. Motorcyclists should consider combining hand signals and turn signals to draw more attention to your self. And, remember to turn off your signals.
-Drive Defensively. Looking far ahead (four to twelve seconds) allows extra time and space to react to road hazards or other distracted drivers.
Do not ride between the lanes. It is not safe nor is it legal to pass a car within the same lane.
For Drivers of Other Vehicles:
Motorcyclists have the right to use the full lane width. Motorcyclists often need the full lane to view traffic and respond to hazards such as potholes. Crowding a lane is both dangerous and illegal.
Maintain a safe following distance. Your vehicle requires more distance to stop than a motorcycle. Remember a motorcyclist can be severely injured in a crash.
Be aware of oncoming motorcycles before turning. A high number of crashes occur when cars or trucks turn left in front of an unseen motorcycle.
Do NOT be fooled by a flashing turn signal. Motorcycle signals do not turn off by themselves, and riders often forget about them.
For Everyone:
Check twice-save a life. Motorcycles are smaller and less visible than cars and they can be easily missed in your blind spot when changing lanes.