It is recommended that you frequently check your mirrors to be aware of potential hazards behind you.

If there is no way to avoid hitting an obstacle on the road, you should raise yourself slightly off the seat with your weight on the footrests. The shock of the impact will be absorbed by your knees and elbows, reducing the risk that you will be thrown from the motorcycle.

Most motorcycle crashes happen on trips shorter than five miles, just a few minutes after the rider starts out.

Almost all drugs, including over-the-counter medications, have the potential to impact the abilities you need to ride safely. Make sure you understand the side effects of any drug before combining it with riding.

When turning, look through the turn to where you want to go by turning only your head. Keep your knees against the gas tank to help maintain your balance while turning. Your arms should be slightly bent any time you are holding the handgrips.

Before riding while carrying a passenger, you should instruct your passenger to lean with you through turns and curves. They should hold onto your waist, hips, or belt.

Lengthen your following distance when traveling on a slippery surface. If it will take longer than usual for your motorcycle to stop, open up to a longer following distance.

When riding behind a passenger vehicle, it is usually best to ride in the center of the lane so you will be visible in the driver's rearview mirror. Most drivers check their rearview mirrors much more often than their side mirrors, so this lane position will increase your chances of being seen.

There are several strategies you can use to prevent someone from driving while under the influence of alcohol. You can arrange another way for them to get home, involve them in other activities to slow their pace of drinking, use any available excuse to stop them from leaving before they are sober, and get other friends involved to intervene as a group.

When being passed, the center portion of the lane is generally the safest lane position for a motorcyclist. Riding on the side nearest the passing vehicle increases the risk of colliding with it. Riding on the side farthest from the passing vehicle can also be dangerous because it may prompt the driver to return to your lane before it is safe to do so.

You can achieve maximum stopping power by using both the front and rear brakes. You should use both brakes every time you slow or stop.

Use both the front and rear brakes every time you slow or stop.

Most motorcycle crashes happen in broad daylight. You should always wear brightly-colored clothing when riding to maximize your chances of being seen, even during the day.

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.

When passing a vehicle on its left, you should get into the left portion of your lane, signal, and use your mirrors and turn your head to check for traffic. When it is safe to do so, move into the passing lane and accelerate, riding through the other vehicle's blind spot as quickly as possible. Finally, signal again and do mirror and head checks before returning to your original lane.

A motorcycle has blind spots just like any other vehicle. A rider must always turn their head to check for traffic before changing lanes.

The clutch lever of a motorcycle is usually located on the left handgrip.

Drippings from cars tend to form an oily strip in the center of each lane. Unless conditions are wet, it is usually still safe for a motorcycle to operate on the center strip.

Make sure that you are aware of the locations of all your motorcycle's controls before beginning to ride. The horn button on a motorcycle is usually located next to the left handgrip.

If you over-apply your brakes, you may lose traction on one or both wheels and crash.