Defensive Driving Tips For Motorcyclists In Venice, Florida
All motorists, from the time they first get their driver’s license, are told to watch out for motorcyclists on the road. Unfortunately, this is a rule that isn’t always followed in Venice, Florida. During 2021, there were more than 550 fatal motorcycle accidents in the state of Florida. In 2020, there were more than 8,000 motorcycle accidents in total in Florida, with more than 86% resulting in injuries varying in severity. When you hop on your bike to go for a ride in Venice, it’s important to keep the ride safe, enjoyable, and memorable in only the right ways.
How Defensive Driving Helps
In a perfect world, drivers in Venice would drive in accordance with the law. They won’t drive distracted, they will keep their eyes on the road, they’ll leave plenty of space between themselves and others on the road, they won’t speed, and they’ll be extra cautious around motorcyclists sharing the roadways. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, which is why defensive driving is important.
Defensive driving means thinking ahead, staying cautious, and protecting yourself from other drivers and other hazards on the road first and foremost. It means thinking twice, being extra vigilant at every intersection, and doing what you can to keep yourself as safe as possible on the road. With defensive driving, you can keep keenly aware of hazardous motorists on the road and perhaps save yourself from being the victim in an accident.
Defensive Driving Tips
If you’ve never actively practiced defensive driving before, a few tips can help to make sure you’re on the right path. Some tips for motorcyclists in Venice looking to keep safe by driving defensively are:
• Take a defensive driving course – Defensive driving courses can help motorists and motorcyclists to learn defensive driving in a comprehensive and real-world way. These can be taken at traffic schools all around Florida, including in Sarasota County at Suncoast Defensive Driving School. After taking a course, motorcyclists can understand a bit better how they can drive defensively as a regular practice, and what to watch out for when it comes to potentially hazardous drivers on the road.
• Maintain your motorcycle – Maintaining your motorcycle is an important part of defensive driving. You can’t drive safely if your motorcycle fails to be safe on its own. Before you get on the bike, check your tire pressure, your brakes, your fluids, and your belts to feel confident when you start it up and drive away.
• Avoid lane sharing and choose your lanes carefully – When riding with another motorcyclist on a wide highway, it might be tempting to ride side-by-side. This isn’t recommended and can pose a serious safety risk. Avoid lane sharing and choose the lane you’re riding in carefully; choose the center or left lane away from vehicles that may be merging onto the highway.
• Pay most attention at intersections – Intersections are some of the most dangerous places on the road for motorcyclists. Prepare to slow at intersections just in case other vehicles are driving aggressively or not paying attention to signals or signs and avoid driving through intersections in the left lane to lessen the risk of possible collisions from turning vehicles.
Motorcycle Accident Representation
Motorcycle accidents can be devastating, and they can occur to motorcyclists even when they’re practicing perfect defensive driving skills in the Venice area. If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident, it’s important to have skilled and knowledgeable representation. To learn more about your rights after a motorcycle accident, contact Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh at JusticePays.com today.
