To reduce the risk of injury, riders should wear a helmet, eye protection, heavy shoes or boots, full-length pants, a jacket, and full-fingered gloves. Clothing should be made of durable materials to best protect the wearer.

Under normal conditions, you should maintain a following distance of at least four seconds. Increase your following distance any time conditions are less than perfect.

If you are unable avoid an obstacle and must instead ride over it, slow down and approach the obstacle at as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Keep your motorcycle straight up and down, if possible. Just before contact, roll off the throttle slightly to lighten the front end of the motorcycle.

Because of the presence of oil deposits, the center strip of a lane can be hazardous when wet. When rain starts to fall, it is best to ride in the tire tracks left by cars. It is advisable to reduce your speed on wet surfaces.

When taking a long trip, be sure to schedule in frequent breaks to rest and try not to ride more than six hours in one day. Wind, cold, and rain can make you tire quickly, so be sure to dress to protect yourself from the elements. Avoid taking artificial stimulants, as the effects when they wear off can be very dangerous.

Instead of or in addition to mechanical turn signals, operators may use hand signals to indicate turns or stops. If an operator's left arm is extended straight out to the left, it means the operator plans to turn left or change lanes to the left.

You are especially vulnerable as a motorcyclist, so it is very important to use your turn signals to alert others to your intentions. Always use them any time that you plan to change lanes or turn, even if you don't think anyone else is nearby.

To increase your visibility, you can wear clothing that is brightly-colored or that contains reflective materials. Adding auxiliary lights to your motorcycle, using your turn signals, and flashing your brake light when appropriate are also good ways to get the attention of other road users.

Before entering a turn, a motorcyclist should reduce their speed by closing the throttle and, if necessary, applying both brakes.

Because tires have less traction when a motorcycle is leaning than when it is upright, always try to position your motorcycle in an upright position before braking. If you must brake while in a curve, apply the brakes more smoothly and gradually than if your motorcycle was traveling on a straightaway.

The minimum number of drinks left in a person's system can be estimated by subtracting the number of hours since the last drink from the total number of drinks consumed. In this case, the alcohol content of about four drinks would remain.

To reduce the risk of a collision when riding at night, be sure to reduce your speed and increase your following distance. Use the headlights of vehicles ahead of you to see farther down the road. Use your high beam headlight, except when following or meeting another vehicle.

Roll on the throttle through a turn to stabilize your suspension. Maintain a steady speed or accelerate gradually through the turn.

A motorcycle passenger needs to understand how to ensure a safe ride ride for both themselves and the operator. An operator should never assume the passenger already knows what to do. Give a passenger complete instructions before every ride.

Before each ride, you should check the air pressure, tread, and general wear of your tires.

When shifting into a lower gear, shift down one gear at a time and ease out the clutch through the friction zone between each downshift.

You should not ride alongside another motorcyclist because doing so will limit both of your possible routes of escape if you encounter a hazard.

No matter the speed, riders who are not wearing helmets are three times more likely to die from head injuries than riders who are wearing helmets at the time of a crash.

An expanded cushion of space 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 larger following distance.

When hazards exist to your left, it is often best to ride in the right portion of the lane. Be prepared to adjust your lane position as road and traffic conditions change.

Leather garments can provide the greatest level of protection to motorcyclists. It is important to wear clothing that covers your legs and arms entirely when riding a motorcycle.

It is particularly important for a rider to check their mirrors when slowing down or stopping, when stopped at an intersection, when changing lanes, and when turning.

Using your high beam headlight during the day increases the likelihood that other drivers will see you. Use your high beam headlight any time you are not riding behind or approaching other vehicles.

A helmet should meet U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and state standards and fit snugly all the way around to provide maximum protection. It should be free of defects such as cracks, loose padding, or frayed straps.

Any time a driver may be tempted to try to squeeze into your lane next to you, ride in the center portion of the lane to discourage them from doing so.