An increased following distance is needed if your motorcycle will take longer than normal to stop. If the pavement is slippery, if you cannot see through the vehicle ahead of you, or if traffic is heavy and another driver may try to squeeze in front of you, open up to a longer following distance.

The best way to handle a tailgater is to get them in front of you. If you can do so safely, change lanes and let them pass. Speeding up may only increase the danger by causing them to continue tailgating you at a higher speed.

To lessen the chances of a crash occurring, you should make yourself visible, communicate your intentions to others, maintain adequate space cushions, search your path of travel at least 12 seconds ahead, identify and separate hazards, and be prepared to react to changing conditions.

While riding in a staggered formation is usually best, a group should switch into a single-file formation when turning, taking curves, or entering or exiting a highway.

You can make yourself easier to see by wearing brightly-colored, reflective clothing. Ride with your headlight on at all times and use your turn signals and brake light appropriately.

You should wear reflective materials when riding at night to make yourself more visible to other road users.

If your motorcycle has a sidecar, it is best for your passenger to ride in the sidecar. They should keep their hands inside the sidecar at all times.

For your protection, you should wear pants that cover your entire legs and are made of leather or another sturdy synthetic material. Clothing should fit snugly enough that it does not flap in the wind but not so snugly that it restricts your movement.

For your protection, you should wear a long-sleeved jacket, ideally made of leather, when riding. In warm weather, a leather jacket can help protect you against dehydration. Many motorcycle jackets are designed to help keep you cool even when the weather is hot.

A windshield is not an adequate substitute for the protection offered by goggles or a face shield. Most windshields will not protect your eyes from the wind.

The throttle of a motorcycle is usually located on the right handle grip. Be sure to know where all of your motorcycle's controls are located before riding.

Give plenty of room to vehicles merging onto a highway from an entrance ramp. Merge into a lane farther away from the entrance ramp, if necessary. If it is not possible to change lanes, adjust your speed to allow room for the vehicle to safely enter the highway.

Alcohol is a major contributor to motorcycle crashes, particularly fatal crashes. Studies show that nearly 40 percent of all riders killed in motorcycle accidents had been drinking.

Without a helmet, a rider is five times more likely to sustain a critical head injury in a crash.

If you are in the middle portion of your lane, you will have the greatest room for error if your control is disrupted by a wind blast from a passing vehicle.

Taking a corner too fast may cause you to cross into another lane or go off the road. Be sure to decelerate before beginning to take a turn or curve.

When riding, you should be seated in a posture that allows you to use your arms to steer rather than to hold yourself up. You should not have to stretch to reach the handgrips and your arms should be slightly bent when holding them. You should keep your knees against the gas tank to maintain your balance.

When preparing to pass on the left, you should ride in the left portion of your lane. This lane position will increase your line of sight and make your more visible to oncoming traffic.

Passengers should sit directly behind the operator and lean as the operator leans. They should sit as far forward as they can without crowding the operator, holding onto the operator's waist, hips, or belt.

Heavier items should be loaded in front of the tank bag. You should try to place the load over or in front of the rear axle. Putting the load behind the rear axle may affect your control.

On a two-lane highway, a group of riders should pass another vehicle one at a time. The second rider should not begin to pass until the first rider has safely re-entered the original lane. Riders should continue in this pattern until they have all safely passed the vehicle.

SIPDE is a five-step process that experienced riders use to make judgements and take action while traveling. The letters in SIPDE stand for Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, and Execute.

If a dog is chasing your motorcycle, downshift and slowly approach the dog. Once you have gotten close to the animal, accelerate and leave it behind. Do not attempt to kick it.

When being passed, it is generally safest to ride in the center portion of your lane. Riding on the side of the lane nearest the passing driver increases the danger of a collision, and riding on the side farthest from the passing driver may tempt them to return to your lane too soon.

When riding in a group, it is generally best to use a staggered formation. Use your mirrors periodically to check on riders behind you. Both the lead and sweep riders should be experienced motorcyclists who know group riding procedures well. Maintain proper space cushions within the group of riders.