When riding directly behind a car, it is usually safest to ride in the center portion of your lane. If you are riding in the center of the lane, you are most likely to be visible in the rearview mirror of the vehicle ahead. Most drivers check their rearview mirror more frequently than they check their side mirrors.

Helmets should fit snugly all the way around. Wearing a helmet is a good idea at all times; most motorcycle crashes happen on short trips.

Never rely on eye contact as an assurance that a driver will properly yield to you. It is common for drivers to look directly at motorcyclists and still fail to notice them.

Motorcycles generally have two brakes, one for the front wheel and one for the rear wheel.

Motorcycles need a full lane to operate safely. It is dangerous, and generally prohibited, for a motorcycle and another vehicle to travel next to one another in the same lane. Riding in the center of your lane discourages others from trying to share your lane.

Most motorcycles have a manual transmission. Downshifting to a lower gear will slow you down.

Most motorcycle crashes occur in broad daylight. Increasing your visibility by wearing bright colors and reflective materials is a good idea at all times.

When riding behind a car, you should position yourself so the driver can most easily see you in their rearview mirror. Riding in the center portion of the lane will generally make you appear in the center of the driver's rearview mirror, where they are most likely to notice you.

The front brake of a motorcycle is more powerful than the rear brake. It can provide three-fourths of the bike's total stopping power.

Your following distance should be larger than usual when you are traveling under imperfect conditions. Increase your following distance if pavement is slippery, you can't see through the vehicle in front of you, or traffic is heavy.

In a crash, you can increase your chances of avoiding serious injury if you wear an approved helmet, face or eye protection, and protective clothing. At any speed, wearing a helmet makes you three times more likely to survive head injuries caused by a collision.

The gearshift lever is located in front of the left footrest and is operated by the left foot. To shift up to a higher gear, position your foot under the shift lever and lift. To downshift, press the shift lever down.

Over one-half of crashes involving motorcycles and passenger vehicles are caused by drivers failing to properly yield the right-of-way to riders. Always be especially alert when approaching an intersection.

The clothes you wear when riding a motorcycle should protect you from sunburn, windburn, rain, dehydration, cold, and parts of the motorcycle. Your clothing should provide you with additional protection in the case of a crash.

Over one-half of motorcycle/car crashes are caused by drivers failing to properly yield the right-of-way to motorcyclists.

Any approved helmet will allow a rider to see as far to the sides as is necessary for safe riding. Approved helmets will have labels and markings providing the manufacturer's name, relevant information and instructions, and information about the standards the helmet meets.

If your rear tire fails, the back of your motorcycle will likely jerk from side to side. It is rare for motorcyclists to actually hear a tire fail.

Because it is more difficult to see and judge distances in the dark than in daylight, you should maintain an expanded following distance of at least three seconds when riding at night. It may take you longer than usual to realize the vehicle in front of you has stopped and you may need additional time to slow or stop to avoid hitting the vehicle.

The cornering characteristics of a three-wheeled motorcycle or a motorcycle with a sidecar differ from those of a two-wheeled motorcycle. The best path for a three-wheeler to take through a curve may not actually follow the curve. For example, you may need to move from the outside of the curve to the inside of the curve before straightening out your path.

Do everything you safely can to avoid hitting an animal in the road. If you are in traffic, however, you should remain in your lane. Swerving into another lane of traffic to avoid hitting an animal can cause you to collide with another driver. Hitting something small is less dangerous than hitting something big.