To protect yourself against injury, you should wear a DOT-compliant helmet; face or eye protection; a jacket and long pants made of sturdy material; boots or shoes that are high and sturdy enough to cover and support your ankles; and gloves made of durable material.

Because of the additional weight, your motorcycle will take more time to slow down when carrying a passenger than when you are riding alone. Therefore, when approaching a stop with a passenger, you should begin slowing sooner than you would without a passenger.

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.

When riding over a rough surface, hold onto the handgrips firmly to ensure that you will maintain directional control over your motorcycle.

Signals are an important part of communication when riding in groups. When the lead rider's right leg is extended, it means there is a hazard in the roadway on their right side.

Riders in a group should overtake another vehicle one at a time. Each rider should complete their pass and resume their position in the group formation before the next rider begins to pass.

A properly chosen lane position should provide a number of benefits, including an increased ability to see others and to be seen. It should help you avoid wind blasts, other drivers' blind spots, and surface hazards. Your lane position should discourage other drivers from trying to share your lane and provide you with an escape route, should a hazard arise.

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

Oily drippings from cars collect in a strip in the center of a traffic lane. Unless the road is wet, this area will generally still provide enough traction for motorcyclists to ride safely. Because the strip is usually no more than two feet wide, it is often possible to ride to one side of the strip and still be in the center portion of the lane.

When a group of motorcyclists is passing another vehicle on a two-lane road, the riders should pass the vehicle one at a time. Each motorcyclist should complete their pass before the next rider's pass begins.

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.

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.

When riding in a group, you should maintain close ranks but still keep an adequate space cushion around each rider.

Because road and traffic conditions are always changing, the safest lane position is also always changing. Choose the position that will maximize your space cushion and allow other drivers to see you most easily.

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.

Wearing goggles provides protection for your eyes, but not for the rest of your face. A face shield provides protection for your whole face and is recommended above goggles. A windshield is not an adequate substitute for a face shield or goggles.

The single most important measure you can take to reduce your risk of injury or death in the event of an accident is to wear a helmet.

To reduce the danger of fatigue when riding, dress to protect yourself against tiring weather conditions, such as wind and rain. Limit yourself to no more than about six hours of riding per day and stop for a break at least once every two hours. Avoid taking artificial stimulants since you may experience extreme fatigue when they start to wear off.

If your rear wheel locks while braking, do not release the brake. Instead, keep it locked until you come to a full stop.

Any U.S. Department of Transportation-compliant helmet is required to have an impact-resistant outer shell, an impact-absorbing inner liner, a comfort liner, and a chinstrap retention system.