Motorcycle Roadway Safety: NSC

Motorcycle Roadway Safety: NSC 

Motorcycling is a unique experience; the rider is an active participant in negotiating curves, playing along with the rhythm of the road, shifting, accelerating and braking with precision. Whether you ride to and from work, prefer the camaraderie of a group ride on the weekend or enjoy the vistas of an off-pavement excursion, motorcycling engages all your senses and creates an exhilarating sense of freedom.

Along with that freedom comes responsibility. All states require some form of license to ride on the street to demonstrate a minimum level of riding skill and knowledge, and liability insurance is required. If your state does not require a hands-on training course before applying for a license, consider taking one anyway to learn basic riding skills and how to stay safe in traffic.

Riding a motorcycle requires a heightened sense of awareness, and more strength and coordination than driving a car. Riding also involves some risks not encountered when driving other vehicles. Motorcycle riders require more maneuvering skill and are more vulnerable in a crash. Motorcycles are not as easily seen as cars or trucks because of their narrow profile. Other motorists, particularly those who don’t ride a motorcycle, may not be looking for motorcycles in traffic. This places the motorcyclist at risk, particularly at intersections.

All these risks can be managed through training and education. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers a wide variety of tips and videos on general riding safety, as well as on specific aspects of motorcycling.

You’ll learn that safe riding depends as much on the mental skills of awareness and judgment as it does on the physical skill of maneuvering the machine. Motorcycles and helmets are provided for your use. Successful completion of this course – which typically includes the 3-hour Basic eCourse, five hours of formal classroom activities and 10 hours of riding instruction conducted over two or three sessions, plus knowledge and skill tests — may waive the license test in your state. The course may also earn you an insurance discount.